Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney The Spectral Chronologies
by royal rubes
Summary: An AU take on the original storyline, inspired by the award-winning Japanese law comedy series, Legal High. This one features a darker, more mature undertone and an OC addition to the main cast who is anything but the law... but remember, the truth is always a "comedy".
1. Prologue

Episode 1: Turnabout Sisters  
>Prologue<p>

* * *

><p>"A clock?"<p>

"It's made to look like that statue of the 'Thinker' and it even talks! I thought you'd like it. You always did like toys."

"Hey! I'm not a little girl anymore, Sis!"

Mia chuckles. "Oh, you know I'm only teasing. Ah, that's right. Actually, it doesn't work right now."

"What? That's laaame…"

"I had to swap out its batteries for some papers."

"Papers? Is that the evidence, then?"

"Mm-hm. So, could you come by the office to pick them up? Say, around 9:00 tonight?"

"Okay, Sis, but I'll be expecting something good! Like… miso ramen! I could go for a nice hot bowl right about now."

She sighs with a smile. "Okay, okay. How about the usual joint?"

"Yes! It's a deal! Okay, Sis, see you later."

"I'll be waiting, Maya."

Mia clicks off the receiver and sets it back in place. She turns to her visitor who is reclined in her chair, twirling a small metal device in her fingers. On that device, there's small print that reads 'Bluecorp'.

"Thanks for coming, Mona. I'm surprised you'd even accept a client like him, though."

"Well, as it turns out, it gave me the excuse to tinker with his company's wiretaps."

"Won't you get in trouble for this?"

"Nope. As he told me to, I came by here a week ago and placed the wiretap." Mona beams with mischievous pride. "He didn't say I couldn't stop by again and pick it up then."

Mia shakes her head. "As much of a rascal as ever, I see… Still, this means he's been listening in on any conversations I've had this past week."

"Hm, that's true… but at least I stopped by in time for you to make that super important call." Mona gets up and proceeds to take apart the phone sitting on the table. "And I'll just slip this back here like no one ever knew."

"…By the way, Mona, since you've completed the job for your previous client, you're free again, aren't you?"

"Uh-huh. What? You have something for me?"

"I do." She pulls out a memo with a list of names. All of them are vaguely familiar; politicians, celebrities, and other famous names. "I'd like you to ask around about these people and when they were last seen."

Mona fetches the paper from her and stares at it. She looks back up with a disappointed frown. "ALL of them?"

"At least a few. Search out anyone who could be a potential witness. It's for my current case."

Mona shrugs. "…Hmm, I dunno. I mean, I am grateful for what you've done for me and all, but…"

"And I'll pay you double the amount."

That got her attention. "Sold." She takes another gander at the list before stashing it away. "Alright, it may take a while, but I'll see what I can find."

"Thank you… Oh, and one last thing?"

"It's not another job is it?"

"No, just a notice. I'm also expecting someone else tonight: my protégé and assistant. He'll be joining us for dinner. If you finish early, you can join us."

"Thanks, Mia… wait, you have a protégé?"

"He's only been here for a few months, but I can tell he's the dependable type. He's also the type who'd stand out in a crowd… in more ways than one."

"Uh-huh… got it. Anything else before I bolt?"

"No, that'll be all for now. Thanks again."

Mona salutes her. "Likewise, Mia. See you tonight."

* * *

><p>My name is Mona Spectra. I'm a freelance mercenary. You name the job and I name the price, but I don't care what it is, I'll do it. See, I'm running a little low on funds at the moment. The money I got from my parents' insurance and from their retirement savings was completely drained since last year, and it's also why I ended up in a pretty sorry state – being arrested, convicted, and imprisoned in a matter of two days. Thankfully, Mia got me out the following week, but I first had to resort to some rather underhanded tactics to help build our case.<p>

Well, that's all in the past now. It's already been a year, and I've kept a low profile to avoid running into that sort of trouble again. I'm still working as a mercenary (not my dream job, but it gets me something), though, and I'm in no position to change professions any time soon anyway.

Just last week, I signed up under a certain CEO who wanted me to do his dirty work for him. In this case, though, I offered the job myself and gave him the choice to pay me however much he wanted. This way, I wouldn't have to refuse in the case he wanted me to "bump off" a certain lawyer. As despicable as I can be, I hold the people who help me in high regard, so to bump them off is a little… unworthy of my skills, so to speak.

...But in the end, it didn't matter. She's gone now, and her little sister's been arrested. My last hopes of making it up to Mia lie in the hands of a rookie attorney…

And Holy Shinto, he stinks at his job. But of course, if anything involves me, Mona Spectra, I will see it through to the most ideal end, no matter what.

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks for reading. This is merely an experimental subject I'd like to write about, so please tell me what you think! If I've messed up in any way, tell it to me straight. I don't listen to any sugar-coated criticism. That's one of my rules.


	2. Chapter 1

Episode 1: Turnabout Sisters  
>Chapter 1<p>

* * *

><p>September 5, 2016, 9:00 pm<br>Fey & Co. Law Offices

(It's kinda hard to believe when the person you were just chatting away with that morning is later found dead… but once you're on this sort of job, the danger of death is simply one of its perks. However, in this case, this murder shouldn't have happened at this time. I made sure of it.)

Mona steps into the offices of her latest client, only to notice all the wrong signs: the lights turned off, the smell of blood, and the eerier silence. She hurries into the next room, and lo and behold, there she is.

Mia lies still under the window, and there's a faint trace of red that paints the wall behind her.

Mona hurries to beside her and plants two fingers at the base of her neck. No pulse. She drops her hand and kneels there still, completely stunned at her utter failure.

(…I'm late? How the hell did I end up LATE? How did this murder even happen!? I even made sure no one could have known when…)

Then, a thought hits her and is followed by dread. She takes another look at the condition of the body. It appears the blood has long dried. This murder happened much earlier, perhaps even a whole hour earlier. She shuts her open mouth and her eyes hone back into focus.

(…So that's what happened. He simply took the initiative.)

She continues examining the body, and her inspection leads to the discovery of a note written in blood. It says in dull red letters: "Mona".

(Oh, that bastard. So he thinks this is funny, does he…?)

She snatches it up and stuffs it into a pocket. She then pulls out a notepad with the list of potential witnesses she's gathered over the past several hours. They're simply candidates; it's not like Mia was expecting them to be so reliable or decisive. Nonetheless, she asked for them for a good reason. If taken to court, this list could become a powerful weapon.

The problem is finding another "trustworthy" lawyer who will continue investigating this case where she left off. In fact, just finding a lawyer who would be willing to defend Mona should she be somehow arrested is just as impossible. After all, the enemy is quite a force to be reckoned with.

(…Wait a sec. Didn't Mia mention someone who… ah-hah!) That signature triumphant sneer reappears on her face. (She did mention a protégé. Now if I can just find that person's number…)

She promptly takes action, searching around the office and putting it in further disarray.

* * *

><p>"…Hello? Sis? Sorry I'm a little late. The train had a short delay along the way… And why is it so dark in here?"<p>

Maya now steps into the office, giving her surroundings a cautious inspection. There seem to be the sound of a woman talking on a phone. There's no sign of her sister's voice, however, and there's this faint but ominous smell lingering in the room.

"I'll pass you the details later. Just get over here asap."

Maya hears her click off the tone. She sneaks up to the doorway that links the two rooms and takes a peek in. Unfortunately for her, the sight is not something to keep quiet about.

"Ah… Aaaaah! Sis!"

Mona watches the girl as she rushes over and cries into her sister's shoulder. She sighs to herself and taps her on the shoulder.

Maya turns to her, still sobbing. "…Y-yes? Who are you?"

Mona responds with an apathetic look. "First, wipe those tears. This isn't the time to cry. Second, I'm the one asking questions here."

"*sniffle*… O-okay." She tries holding back those tears, but ends up giving a hiccup.

"So judging by your shouting 'Sis', I assume you're Maya?"

She nods. "Y-you know me?"

"I heard from Mia. If you're here, you were expecting to retrieve some evidence for her, right?"

She nods again.

"But those papers you're looking for aren't here anymore."

"Oh… s-so did someone take them?"

"…What do you think, kid?"

Her insincere smile wouldn't have passed through with anyone else, but Maya takes a moment to consider before she replies, "…Oh, I guess that's pretty obvious, huh?"

That smile disappears, revealing her intended frown. "Looks like you ain't gonna be much help at the moment."

"Oof… sorry. I just… I don't know what to think right now…" Maya's eyes trail back to her sister.

"I know. That's what I meant." She turns toward the door, arms crossed. "When is that lawyer getting here…?"

"…Um."

Mona's eyes dart back. "What now?"

"Which lawyer are you talking about?"

"The one that works here. I've already called him and reported what happened."

"Oh… I-I think I know who you're talking about."

"Oh? So what's his name?"

"Uh… I don't know that. I just heard a little from my sister about him… and how he won his first case some other day…"

"Whoa, hold it right there. First case? Are you saying the guy I called is a _complete rookie_?"

"I guess…?"

"…" Mona grits her teeth. (Why did I think things couldn't get worse…? I must be losing my touch.)

"…I'm sorry. Was it something I said?"

She turns back to Maya with a straight face. "If you want to make it out of this safely, keep praying."

"…?"

* * *

><p>Phoenix bursts in through the door in a pant. He's not only late; he's received notice that something terrible has happened. And yet, Mona wasn't quite clear with the details…<p>

"I'm here! Chief? Where are you!?"

He instead finds a younger lady lying asleep on the sofa. She's dressed in an odd fashion, but her face seems somewhat familiar. In fact, she reminds him of…

(…This isn't the time to ponder about that! I need to check on Mia!)

He now enters into her office and stops short. "…! Ch-Chief!" He then turns to the other woman in the room.

At first glance, this woman seems like any other friendly outside-activist. She looks like she's dressed for a summer hike: hair tied up into a pony tail, short sleeves, fingerless gloves, climbing boots, and a pair of dark-colored goggles resting atop her forehead. She even has a utility belt loaded with a pair of unknown devices – they appear to have hooks poking out of them, though.

"By any chance… are you the one who called me just earlier?"

"That's me."

That cold, emotionless tone to her voice does seem to match the one on the phone. But, he has something more important to ask:

"Then… why did you say she was 'out of danger'!? She's clearly injured!"

"She's dead. Of course she's out of danger."

"D… dead?" He hurries over to Mia to check her pulse… and steps back. "…She's been dead for a while. I don't feel any warmth." He turns back to Mona, who has now approached him. "When did you first arrive?"

"9:00 pm, sharp."

"I see… and she was already like this?"

"Yes, yes… and just a moment, sir."

"Hm?"

She crosses her arms. "I'm interested in this case because of two things: one, an important ally of mine has been forcefully retired; and two, I plan to catch the criminal for my personal benefits."

"Okay…"

"I also need a lawyer to take up the case that Mia was working toward. Are you in?"

"The case Chief was working toward…? Um, I'm not sure which one you're talking about, but sure. I'll be glad to help out. Besides…" He turns back to Mia. "I want to catch this criminal too… just not only for personal benefits."

"Good." She claps her hands with a smile. "Then I hope we can agree that we must not let the police figure anything out until we have."

He swerves back to her. "Huh?"

"The police will not be working with us on this case. They will be working against us, so we must consider them as our enemy."

"Whoa, there. What's this about making enemies with the police? They want to find the criminal as much as we do."

"No, they want to find a scapegoat, and I refuse to be one."

"You… refuse?"

"I found this in Mia's hand." She draws out a slip of paper.

"…'Spectra'… Is that your name? What is this supposed to be, and is that writing what I think it is?"

"Mia's blood. There's some left on her finger too. Whoever killed her left this note trying to frame someone, namely me. If the police find this, it'll be their first wrong lead."

"First? You mean there's more?"

She puts it away. "The second wrong lead will be a witness."

"A witness!? Wait, wait… how do you know all this?"

"I'd rather not discuss that right now. Work with me here."

"Hey, if you want me to help, you're gonna have to give me the details too."

She fires off a fierce glare. "…I said 'I'd rather not discuss that right now', and I meant it."

(Yeesh! How did I get on her bad side? It was just an innocent question…)

"This witness will have been planted by the murderer, so anything this person says will be a lie. Because of that and the note I just showed you, I will be arrested for nothing."

"But that's just two things. Wouldn't they need stronger evidence to convict you?"

"No, because the real criminal will have made preparations to ensure escape… perhaps even into the courts themselves."

"Even the courts!? What kind of criminal are we talking about here!?"

"A man who's too rich for his own good."

"…Um, that's not a lot to work with. We can't just go pointing fingers at any rich guy."

"Well, it's a good thing I know exactly which rich guy to point at."

"Y-you do?" He blinks twice. "Wait, so you're saying that you know who the murderer is!? Who is it!?"

"His name has no meaning to someone like you."

And now he sinks a little. "Huh? W-what do you mean by that?"

She frowns, becoming ever more impatient. "I mean you know absolutely nothing about him and getting you into this was probably a mistake, but I can't change that now."

"…A-anyway, if we can't even tell the police about this guy, what can we do?"

"You mean 'what can I do'. You're just going to stay out of my way and maybe babysit Maya for me."

(B-babysit…?) "Who's Maya?"

"Mia's sister. She's resting on the sofa in the other room. When she wakes up, be a good boy and take her case."

"Her case? But she's not going to be arrested…"

Mona moves back by the desk to fetch a clean slip of paper – a receipt from a department store – from one of the drawers, and then pulls out a pocket knife. With a clean slash, she cuts her thumb and proceeds to paint something on that with the fresh blood.

"H… hey! What are you doing!?"

She ignores him and finishes writing. She also exchanges the pocket knife for a lighter and gently singes the fresh blood until it dries a little. She then casually leaves the new "evidence" by Mia's hand.

Phoenix stares at her in disbelief. "You… you just forged evidence!"

"Yeah."

"We can't leave that there! What did you even write?"

"Her sister's name."

His jaw drops, and now he's angry. "You…! How can you... how can you even think of framing her!? What did she ever do?"

"You're noisy."

"Answer me, dammit!"

Mona sighs. One way or another, they aren't going to get anywhere like this. She might as well finish up her end here and bolt.

"As I said, we need to stall the police. Since I'm the only one here who can tidy up this case before anything else happens, I can't be arrested. And neither can you, of course, so it has to be her."

"…All for your selfish goals… You're terrible! How can you even call yourself a friend to Mia!?"

She shoots back with a glare of her own. "Because we share a much longer history than you think, Spiky. Now, do as you're told and keep Maya out of trouble. I have a murderer to catch."

And with that, she dashes out the door and into the dark of night. Phoenix stares off after her, still in a mix of frustration and confusion, but stays put to watch after Maya.

And then, as Mona had anticipated, there's a woman screaming into a phone receiver in the hotel next door. Shortly after, just as Maya is roused from her rest, they hear the sirens of police cars approaching.

And throughout the rest of that night, Mona is nowhere to be found.


	3. Chapter 2

Episode 1: Turnabout Sisters  
>Chapter 2<p>

* * *

><p>(…It was a long night yesterday. After the detective dragged Maya and me to the precinct for questioning, they eventually released us. After all, the bloody note turned out to be a fake. They didn't even need a detailed blood test to know who it belonged to. Apparently, they already had the owner's DNA samples on record.<p>

What came as a greater surprise, though, was when we heard she'd been arrested later that night. I suppose it was deserved, considering what she put Maya through… Still, I can't help but wonder about that woman. Just who is she, how does she know so much about this case, and where did she go yesterday? And most importantly, why did she have to insist on framing Maya? Nothing's adding up… so now we're here, at the detention center.)

* * *

><p>September 6, 9:21 am<br>Detention Center  
>Visitor's Room<p>

(…What's taking her? We've already been here for half an hour! Well, we did come ten minutes early, but it's not like we could do anything while the police were still investigating.)

"…Mr. Wright, are you hungry?" Maya suddenly asks.

"Huh? Oh, no, I'm fine. Why?"

Her stomach growls in response. "…I am."

"…Let's go get a bite after we're done here, alright?"

She nods. "Thanks." And there's another pause. "…I know I've already asked this, but just to make sure… Why have we come here?"

"Hmm… The problem is that we don't have any leads. This woman knows a lot more about the case than she's letting on, and no matter how much she tries to refuse, we need to get that info out of her! At least, that's all I can think of right now…"

"…" She makes that worried look. "So what happens if we don't get anything from her?"

"Then we'll have to look elsewhere. I'm sure there's some sort of clue lying hidden at Mia's office… and if not, we could try asking around. Either way, we need to get something – anything – that could help us crack her."

"…So in the end, we still have to rely on her."

(…I hate to admit it, but she's right. If we don't make any headway now, we're completely sunk.) He sighs. (And this is only my second case. If this trend keeps up, I don't think I'm going to live a long and prosperous life…)

Thankfully, the awaited suspect finally steps in through the door on the other side of the window. It seems she's still in handcuffs for some reason. She takes one look at them and makes to turn around.

"H-hey! Hold it right there! We waited long enough for you to show, and you're just going to leave!?"

She begrudgingly takes her seat by the window, not saying a word.

"…So, about that murderer you were trying to catch."

And she snaps out of her daze. In its place comes a fit of rage, and she viciously flings a finger at him. "You will say no more! Why are you even here!? I didn't come out just to be laughed at! Don't waste my time, you idiots with too much time for yourselves! Go fish in hell or something!"

The three exchange a round of silence.

Maya sighs, adding, "She's not in a very good mood, is she?"

"Well, she is in detention."

She groans, slumping over the counter. "I can't believe they took my favorite utility belt… okay, so it was my only one. But it had everything a modern-day ninja could use to sneak around and work her magic. An entire collection of brilliant pieces of technology, all robbed from me…" She slams the counter with her cuffs, twitching just a bit from the backlash. "Now how am I supposed to break out!? Those tools don't come cheap!"

(Maybe you should try not shouting about making a jailbreak when there are security officers everywhere watching you.)

She slumps over again, back in her depressed mood. "Uuuuugh… why did I leave a bloody note at the scene of a murder…?"

(There's the question of the night…)

"Not to mention, the weapon I planned to use to deliver the final blow to the enemy backfired and I got myself thrown in here…"

"Huh? Wait, wait…" He gives her a hard stare. "Did you really meet with the murderer? Was that what you were busy with last night?"

She looks up with a serious face, sits upright, and blows a raspberry in his face.

It was effective; he lowers his guard. "…I'm going to take that as a 'yes'."

She proceeds to wipe the glass clean of spit. "So? Whaddya two want?"

He clears his throat and regains his composure. "We're here to ask you what you know about the incident around Mia Fey's murder. Do you mind answering a few questions?"

Now she falls back against her seat. "Hmph. Since last night, you've been giving me that evil eye. So what has changed? Are you that desperate that you'd plead with me to give you some details?"

"…Rather than discuss us, let's discuss what you were expecting to do by making that note."

Maya now butts in. "W-wait, Mr. Wright! You mean she was the one who made that note!?" She gives Mona a sad puppy-eyed look. "But why? D-did I upset you somehow?"

"Stop looking at me like that, both of you. I had a plan set and all, honest. While that note provided a distraction, I'd paid a visit to the mastermind behind this murder. And well, I met with that man, we had a little argument, I shoved decisive evidence in his face to prove a point, and he called the cops on me. I tried escaping, but…"

"…But?"

She taps her finger on the counter. "Next question."

"What? No, first finish what you were saying! What happened?"

She makes a pouting face. "I dun wanna talk about it."

He glares back. "…If you hide anything, I'm not taking your case."

"Um, Mr. Wright, she hasn't actually agreed to letting you represent her…" Maya whispers.

"Oh, no. We can't have that. You are going to take my case."

(…Knew it. She's the most desperate of us all.) "Then convince me. Why should I work with you when you yourself aren't willing to share what's going on?"

"Honestly, everything would be explained in the trial anyway…"

"No, we need to know these things beforehand, so I can build a case for you. How else do you expect me to defend you?"

"I don't."

"…E-excuse me?"

"You see, I need a lawyer for the sake of acquiring a lawyer, someone I can discuss a few plans with without the prosecution being clued in. Now, if you were someone like Mia, I would be happy to leave everything to you. But you're not. If I pass everything to you right now, it will be a flood of meaningless exposition that you won't be able to take in at once."

He grits his teeth, nearing the end of his wits. "…But so far, all you've been talking is meaningless anyway. What's stopping you?"

"Fine, then. You asked for it." She clears her throat and proceeds.

"Mia and I have been chasing a certain man of an information exchange company for the last few months. His name is Redd White, CEO of the company Bluecorp, and Mia was convinced he was responsible for several accounts of blackmail – some of which have led to the deaths of those people."

"Whoa, blackmail?"

"So that was what Sis was up to…"

"Quiet. I'm still speaking… She hired my services as a mercenary, at first just to play spy and keep an eye on his activity, but eventually it came to the point that we had to act first. By her request, I broke into the company building to do a little digging."

"What!? But that's illegal entrance! Why would she…?"

"S-sis actually told you to…?"

She glares at them. "Do you want to hear the rest or not?"

Phoenix replies for them both, "Sorry. Please go on."

"Finally, we acquired the piece we were looking for just last month, and she's been preparing to build her case toward indicting and capturing White red-handed. Finally, just a couple days away from that trial, he finally acted."

(…Hence what happened to Mia.)

"…Sis…"

"I later met with him face-to-face in his office, but made the naïve mistake of presenting my hand too early. He removed those pieces, reported me, and just as I was making an escape…"

"…"

"…"

"Ms. Spectra, please! Don't drift off all of a sudden!"

"Yes! What happened? Why didn't you escape!?"

Mona practically whispers the last bit, "…The cord got caught."

Phoenix and Maya blink in sync. "Huh?"

She repeats it more clearly. "While I was making my escape by rooftop, I used grappling wire dispensers to hitch onto anything I could use to make a path by air. One of the cords got snagged around the corner of a neighboring building and I slammed into the wall, rather than swing up onto that rooftop. After that, I was easy prey for the cops."

"…Sorry to hear that."

"It's why I didn't want to talk about it, you nosy hedgehog! If I could, I'd pinch your nose hard enough until it grew!"

(B-but how was I supposed to know what that was? You were hiding everything!)

She folds her arms again. "Anyhow, that's the brief synopsis. We both have a longer history with that man, but that's all to it for this particular night yesterday."

"…Thank you, Ms. Spectra. That was just what we needed to know."

"I dislike formalities. Just 'Mona' will do." She now reveals an icy grin. "Besides, you are going to be taking my case now, so we don't need to be so distant, right? You know I didn't tell you all that just to be rejected, rookie…"

"Y-yeah, okay. You've convinced me." (And I guess it really did turn out to be a whole flood of exposition… What am I supposed to do with all this info?)

"Good. See you tomorrow." She returns to slumping over the counter, appearing to have fallen asleep.

"…Wait. Tomorrow?"

She's not asleep just yet, though she makes no move to get up. "…The trial. My trial."

"W-what!? It's tomorrow!?"

She no longer responds, and Phoenix breaks out into a sweat.

"What now, Mr. Wright?" Maya asks, "Do we look for this Redd White person?"

"…No, I don't think that's a good idea right now. If Mona confronted him and ended up here, we shouldn't just rush in, especially that we don't have any evidence to back up our case…"

"If it's decisive evidence you want, I still have one thing…"

Phoenix spins back to her. "Y-you're still awake?"

"…"

(…I really hope that wasn't just her sleep-talking…)

"…No, wait, the police took it. Dang…"

(And there goes our last hope…)

"So it'll be up to you to fetch it. They should still have it at the precinct…"

"Um… what exactly are you talking about?"

"There's a recording device built into my utility belt. It's programmed to automatically record every sound within 10 feet of me when I'm not using its wire dispensers."

"W-what!? Really!?"

"…"

"Ms. Spec… um, Mona?"

"…zzz…"

After making sure she's really not replying anymore, Phoenix and Maya turn back to each other.

Maya's eyes seem to light up with hope. "So, um, does this mean we do have evidence for our case now?"

Phoenix finally gets a chance to smile. "Maybe… it might just work. Even if it didn't record exactly what we need, we could still pretend it did."

"Oh! I've heard of that from Sis! The classic lawyer bluffing tactic!"

(…Classic? Hmm, I guess you could call it that…)

"Then, we actually have a chance tomorrow, right?" Now she finally gets a chance to smile. "We'll keep going in Sis' place! Her efforts won't have come to waste!"

"Yeah…" (Looks like Maya's starting to feel better about things. Still, I can't help but keep this lingering feeling that something horrible will go wrong…) He pauses, and then shakes his head. (…Nah, I must be imagining it.)

"Okay, let's go talk with that detective again! Maybe we'll be able to uncover something else!"

"…Alright, but I wouldn't push our luck with any new evidence. They should have combed the crime scene thoroughly already."

With new hopes in their hearts, these two young and inexperienced souls finally begin their first case together…

But of course, little do they realize, Mona has plenty more up her sleeves than what she's mentioned. If anyone's going to slam this case shut as quick as possible, it's her.


	4. Chapter 3

Episode 1: Turnabout Sisters  
>Chapter 3<p>

* * *

><p>September 6<br>Fey & Co. Law Offices

(Back again… but not in the best of moods to be back. Maya was pretty cheery when we left the detention center, but now it looks like she's grown silent…)

Suddenly, a large gruff-looking man with a slovenly shaven bead marches right up to them and shouts, "Hey! You can't just come in here, pals! This is a crime scene! Authorized entry only!" With another look at them, he blinks. "Hey, aren't you that… Harry Butz guy!?"

"No, no. Phoenix Wright!" (How could anyone mistake me for Larry!?)

"Oh, yeah. I remembered it was some weird name… Sorry about that, Mr. Wright. That guy was a killer, but you're no killer, right?"

(He WAS found innocent…)

"And you missy, you look familiar too…" He gives her a suspecting eye. "You couldn't one of 'those kids', could you?"

"One of 'those kids'…?"

"Those pesky little shoplifter punks! They think it's funny to snatch up things that don't belong to them!"

"W-what!? Of course not! I've never done any shoplifting in my life!"

"Really? I could've sworn…"

"You got the wrong person!"

(…This conversation has gotten off to a wonderful start.)

"What's with this confused detective!?" Maya scowls under her breath, slapping something in her vicinity.

(Ow… Please don't take it out on me.) "And you are… Dick Gumshoe, right?"

"Yep, that's me! No, wait! That's Detective Dick Gumshoe, to you, pal! Get it right!"

(Geez, I didn't expect him to go prima donna on me…)

"Well, anyway, if you've got business here, then make it quick."

(Hm? So he thinks we're defending her… well, I suppose it wouldn't be a long shot either…)

"Okay, Mr. Wright! What's the plan?"

"Plan… right. I was hoping to check the scene again in case there was anything I missed last night, but it looks like the police have pretty much cleaned up the place. And with that detective around, I can't just go peeking into anything…"

"So now what?"

"…Ask him for information and maybe permission if he's willing." (He seems like a pretty simple-minded guy anyway. Even during questioning yesterday, when I brought up that the note was fake, he looked pretty shocked…)

"Oh! Leave it to me, then! I'll give him some of the ol' Maya charm!"

(…'Maya charm'…?)

"Excuse me, Mr. Detective!"

"Hm? Oh, it's you again. What?"

"Working at the crime scene for so long must have been tough. In fact, you look pretty tired now."

"Uh… yeah, that's because I am, pal. Perks that come with the job, you know."

"Yes, of course, but I mean you look really, really tired. Look, your shoulders are sagging, your eyes are out of focus, your steps are heavy, your fingers are twitching…"

"Huh!? Oh, uh… y-yeah, I guess that's true." He sighs. "It's 'cause I've been stuck here monitoring the scene throughout the night, and I haven't had anything to eat yet…"

"That's quite a shame, sir. I think you've been working a little too hard."

"Y-you think so?"

"Yes, indeed. In fact, I think you deserve a little break right about now. All this info moving around in the investigation must be taxing to keep track of. How about letting loose a little and let us take a little of that burden off of you?"

"Hmm… that sure does sound good. I mean, I'm already having trouble remembering some things…"

"Well, then I think you'd better tell us what you guys have dug up before you forget it! This info is important stuff, you know!"

He ponders over it for a bit. "…Well, I guess it couldn't hurt. I mean, we're pretty much finished here and just making some last-minute checks…"

(Whoa! It actually worked!?)

"Glad to hear it, Detective. Okay, Mr. Wright, you're up."

(…This girl can be surprisingly convincing. I'd better be careful around her if she ever makes me do something…)

"What's wrong? It's your turn!"

"R-right. Thanks, Maya…" He clears his throat. "So, Detective Gumshoe, mind sharing with us a copy of the autopsy?"

He stares at him like he's crazy or something. "Geez, pal, you're not even bothering to hide it, are you?"

(…Maya, did you really convince him all the way? I still see signs of resistance…)

"Ah, well. Since you're going to be seeing it at the trial anyway, I might as well give you it now." He passes him a copy.

(…Or not.) "Oh, uh, thanks."

"Don't mention it… Really, I mean it, pal."

"Yeah, don't worry. We won't." He gives the file a quick skim. (…Instant death, huh? Well, at least she might not have suffered for long…)

Suddenly, Maya has become completely silent again, turning away from the file in his hand. The contrast with herself just a minute ago is rather startling.

He folds it up and returns the file, jotting a few quick notes down in the Court Record. He then proceeds: "Also, we'd like to ask you about the suspect…"

"Oh, sure, pal. What do you want to know?"

"I noticed it when I was still in questioning. Normally, a detailed blood test wouldn't take that little of time, would it? Is it because you guys already had records on her?"

"Ah yeah, that's right. We usually keep that sort of personal information on key persons from past cases in the backlogs of the system, but this woman's an exception."

"She is?"

"She's a weird one, alright. Just in the past two years, she's been involved in case after case, almost always as a witness."

"What? Case after case? Just how many are we talking about?"

"Let's see… I think it was around 10 or so just last year."

"T-ten!?" (What the heck has this woman been up to!?)

"How she manages to get involved in all of them is beyond us too. Yet, no matter what, we never found evidence that she was responsible for anything else. It wasn't until late last year when she was actually convicted of a crime, and it was for espionage or something."

"…'or something'?"

"It's all classified in the books and beyond my authority, pal. Apparently, it even involved the Interpol, but as to what it was actually about, I'm not sure. There have been rumors flying around it, but none of which could be proven."

"…" (I… I'm not sure how to respond to all this…)

He rubs his head. "You don't need to say it, pal. I get where you're coming from." He then asks, "What made you two want to take her case anyway?"

"Just curiosity. We had no idea she was so infamous…"

Suddenly, Gumshoe bursts out a chuckle.

"W-what's so funny?"

"Nah, it's nothing, pal. That's just what most lawyers say when they face her in court. Then, they usually leave drained of all energy by the time the verdict comes, and most of that time was because of her unusual insults."

(So she's famous for those things, huh…?)

"In fact, she ended up together with the same prosecutor plenty enough that even the public now sees them as a team. They don't usually work together very well, but one way or another, they always manage to dig out the ugly truth behind those cases."

"Which prosecutor is that?"

Now he beams such a wide grin that it makes Phoenix feel uneasy. "Miles Edgeworth, pal. The one and only Genius Prosecutor!"

(…Edgeworth…)

"Genius prosecutor?" Maya then asks.

"What!? Don't you know who he is!?"

She blinks. "Um, s-sorry. Did I say something I shouldn't have?"

"Oh, come on, pal! He's only the biggest news since the Super Bowl!"

"I… I don't know what a super bowl is either…"

(Wow, has this girl been missing out.)

"Geez, where the heck have you been!? Out of the country!?"

(Well, she does live up in the mountains and they aren't very up-to-date up there, or so so she said…)

"I-I'm sorry…"

"Ah, forget it. I'll just tell you, then. Mr. Edgeworth is a well-respected prosecutor in this district. He hasn't even lost a case since he first began at the incredibly early age of 20. No matter what the crime or who he's prosecuting, he'd always get a clean 'guilty' verdict with his perfect case."

"W-wow, that's really something."

Phoenix, meanwhile, is lost amid his thoughts. (…These past 15 years, all I've heard about him is nothing but trouble – forged evidence, illegal deals, and any other underhanded tricks one could think of. And now, it's finally come to this. I didn't expect I'd be facing him so soon…)

"Mr. Wright?"

"Huh? Oh, Maya. What is it?"

"You okay? When you heard his name, you looked pretty serious about it."

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing."

"…?"

He turns back to Gumshoe. "Thanks again, Detective. Hope letting all that out was a nice refresher."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, it was. Thanks to you too, I guess."

"…Oh! Before I forget, there's one more thing."

"What now, pal?"

"About Ms. Spectra's utility belt…" (Wait, I can't just come right out and ask for it. He's obviously going to confiscate it…)

"What about it?"

"Um… what exactly are those weird things on the sides anyway? I've been curious."

"Huh, me too," Maya adds. "How'd you know I was gonna ask that?"

(…I didn't, but thanks for mentioning.)

"Oh, those are some uniquely designed grappling hooks. The wires are all coiled up inside, see, and with the press of a switch, they come flying out at high speeds, lodging into anything they hit! She then pulls back the wires and is sent flying through the air. It's actually pretty dangerous without any sort of safety brake or harness, but she's clearly a pro when she uses them."

(…And yet, she still managed to crash into a wall yesterday? Yeesh, that must have hurt… but wait, she didn't look injured at all this morning…)

"I've even seen her in action myself. Someone like her doesn't bother with a car since she can get to places pretty quickly by air."

Maya's eyes are twinkling. "Wow, so she's pretty much flying like a bird? That's really cool."

"Some of us on the force have started calling her 'The Flying Vigilante' for good reason, pal."

"…I wish I could fly like that. It'd make getting around so easy."

"So, that's basically why the police confiscated it, huh?" Phoenix asks.

"Yep. A tool like that could potentially be used as a weapon too, so it's staying out of the suspect's hands."

(…Drat. Looks like we won't have a chance to get that recording device after all. And it was most likely our only decisive piece of evidence…) "So, is it going to be submitted to the trial tomorrow?"

"Oh, the belt? Nah, they're really useful for making a getaway, sure, but they're not directly related to the murder."

(…And now we might not even get a chance to bring it up either. Oh, man…)

"What are you sweating over, pal?"

"N-nothing." (Great, how are we even supposed to make a case without any leads…?)

"So, are you two pretty much done here or what?"

"Yeah, we are. Thanks again for all the info. Hope that gave you a refresher too."

"Huh? O-oh, yeah, it did, didn't it? I guess I should thank you too." He then sighs. "But I'm still starving here… When are we gonna finish up already?"

And right on cue, someone shouts his name: "Hey, Dick! Get over here! You need to see this!"

"Huh? R-right! I'll be right there!" He turns back to them. "Okay, looks like something's up, so I gotta go." He makes a turn to head off, but stops. "Oh, right! Almost forgot. If you're planning to meet with the witness, don't even bother, pals!"

"Huh?"

"She's not allowed to talk with you until the trial. And she's in pretty good shape too, so you won't be coaxing anything out of her either! So that's that."

(…I was so busy worrying about our lady that I almost forgot about the other one in pink. But just to be sure…) "Which witness?"

"There's only one, pal, Ms. April May. Of course, I'm not allowed to tell you anything about her, so don't bother asking me."

(Bingo.) "And has she gone home yet?"

"Hah! You think we'd let a decisive witness like her get away?"

(…Which means, she's still at the hotel.)

"Okay, I gotta scram for real this time. Later!" And he rushes off faster than you'd expect a big guy like him to move.

"…" Maya gives Phoenix a look of concern. "I didn't even know they also had a witness. What are we going to do now?"

"Easy, we're going to pay her a visit."

"Eh? But we don't know where she is!"

"Actually, I do."

"You do?"

"If she hasn't gone anywhere, then she should still be at her the hotel room next door. And since we just got her name from the generous detective…"

"Oh, I get it. So we can just go right up to her door and knock, huh?"

"Yep. Come on, let's hurry before the guy realizes anything."

"Okay!"

* * *

><p>AN: This chapter was originally much longer, but I had to cut it short somewhere, and here happened to be a good spot. It's why I don't have a particular "ending" to this chapter. The next chapter will continue the investigation; the trial will come after that.


	5. Chapter 4

Episode 1: Turnabout Sisters  
>Chapter 4<p>

* * *

><p>September 6<br>Gatewater Hotel  
>Room 303<p>

Phoenix takes a deep breath and gently knocks on the door. This is the first time he'll be interrogating a witness out of court, and it's important to make a good first impression. People will better respect you this way. As he circulates several approaches to this questioning, the door opens and reveals a rather voluptuous woman dressed completely in pink.

"Why, hello there, handsome."

(…Uh, what was I thinking again?)

"Oh, and you've brought a cutie with you! …Even if she does look like some weird hippie."

Maya looks struck. "…H-hippie?"

Phoenix clears his throat. "Excuse me, Miss, but would you mind answering…"

"Oh, that's right! I remember you now. You're that lawyer boy from last night!"

"L-lawyer boy…?"

"Too bad that detective told me, 'Don't say a word to that lawyer, pal!' So, sorry, but I can't talk with you… officially, anyway. Tee hee…"

(…Remind me to thank Detective Gumshoe for making my life that much harder.)

"Ah! This is all like from out of a movie, isn't it? Me, the beautiful eyewitness, to a ghastly crime just across from my hotel room window…" She sighs a deep sigh, as if about to faint, but snaps back to attention. "Well, I'd better go get myself ready to look the part! Wait just a moment, please~!" And she hurries back inside, leaving the door open just a crack.

Phoenix and Maya share a moment of awkward silence.

"…Mr. Wright?"

"Yeah?"

"Do I really look like some weird hippie?"

"…No, but you do look like you're part of some weird cult."

She sinks even more. "Oh, is that so…"

(Oops. Maybe I shouldn't have been so blunt…?)

They help themselves inside when the woman doesn't return right away and take a moment to enjoy the simplicity of the hotel room's design. Maya especially finds some odd delight to being here.

"Wow. So guests in town get such a comfy place to stay, huh? I wouldn't mind staying here myself."

"Hm? It looks like any other hotel room to me, though."

"Yeah, I guess… but since I live up in the mountains, I don't get much of a chance to live in this sort of place."

(…Must be tough living alone out there. Do they even get cellphone reception, I wonder?)

An idle glance out the window puts a damper in her mood, though. "…Well, maybe it'd be better if this room doesn't directly face Sis' place…"

That catches his attention. (…It faces Mia's office directly…? Hmm, given what Mona said that night about the witness being planted… it sure seems suspicious, actually.)

Now he notices something even more suspicious: a lone screwdriver sticking out from behind a drawer. He quietly approaches it and is just about to pull it open when…

"H-hey! What do you think you're doing!?"

He practically hops back a few steps, hands up and away from the drawer. Maya has immediately ducked behind him and peeks out cautiously.

She looks like she's almost snarling when she quickly reverts back to her cheery image. "Ah, I mean… Hee hee! Don't you know it's rude to look into people's things without asking first? You might make me upset, you know."

(…Upset!? I thought she was going to blow for a second there! Just what is in that drawer…?)

"Well? You said you had a few questions for me, didn't you?"

(Huh? Even after the detective told her not to talk, she's still going to? No, wait, I'd better take this chance before she changes her mind!) He nods. "If it's alright with you, could you please describe what you observed at the scene of the incident?"

"Ooh, 'describe', 'observe'… I like a man with a big… vocabulary."

(…Urk. Don't excite her anymore, Phoenix. You don't want to go where you might not come out from…) He clears his throat again. "Um… j-just strictly speaking, could you tell me what you saw happen at that place across from your window? Pretty please…?"

"Nope."

"Huh?"

She giggles. "And you got your silly little hopes up, didn't you? I even told you I couldn't say anything about it. Did something get stuffed in your ears or what?"

(…Ouch, and I thought I had enough verbal abuse from Mona…) He tries again with a different approach. "Well then, would you mind telling me… um, just who are you?"

She gasps. "Mr. Lawyer! Are you actually hitting on me?"

"W-what!?" And now his face is a bright red.

Now Maya gasps. "Mr. Wright! Are you really hitting on her? At a time like this!?"

"N-no, of course not! I'm just asking because it's my job!"

Ms. May giggles again. "Tee hee! You know, you're cute when you blush."

(Believe me, this is the most I've blushed since my first date…)

Maya is giving him a suspicious stare. It's unclear whether she's upset about the occasion or about him.

"A-anyway, I meant to ask what it is you do as a profession. Could you tell us that, at least?"

"Hmm… how about 'no'?"

He sinks again. "Um, that's not what I was expecting."

"Oh, that's too bad. I guess you'll just have to wait until the trial tomorrow!" She leaves it at that with a wink.

(…Urgh. Is there anything I can ask this woman!?) "…By the way, is there someone staying with you here? I see two glasses on the table."

"Oh, hey, there are," Maya notes aloud to herself. "Good eye, Mr. Wright."

"Ooh! What brilliant powers of observation, Mr. Lawyer! Could you be one of those famous detectives like from those stories?"

"M-me? Oh, no. I'm just a lawyer, heh heh…"

"Hey, Mr. Detective? Why don't you go search for clues in the trash, hmm? Miss May doesn't like nosy lawyers. Hmph!"

(…I should have seen this coming.)

"…I guess she really doesn't like you, Mr. Wright," Maya whispers from behind.

He whispers back, "I know… and it hurts more than I thought it would."

She blinks, now deep in thought. "…Hm, so I was right? You really do like her?"

He gives her a glare that makes her cower and whispers rather fiercely, "This woman can even make our client of all people look like an angel! Why would I like her at all!?"

"Oof… I-I'm sorry. Please don't get mad at me…"

He sighs, rubbing his head. "…No, no. I'm sorry for letting off steam on you…"

"Heeey, excuse me?" Ms. May draws their attention again. "If you two are just going to kiss and make up with each other, could you take it outside? I've got nothing more to say to you, so get out already, okay~?"

By this point, Phoenix can come up with no witty retort. "…Yes, ma'am."

And with that, they're kicked out and the door shuts behind them.

Maya sighs. "Now what? We didn't get anything from that woman… How can we go back to see Mona this way?"

"We aren't completely sunk."

"Huh? Really?"

"…At least, that's what I'd like to tell myself."

"…"

He sighs, planting a hand onto his head. "If only we had some sort of clue left… anything would do!" He then places it below his chin as he ponders further. "…If Mia was in this situation, what would she do…?"

"What would Sis do…?" Then, Maya hits upon something. "Oh! Maybe we aren't completely sunk after all!"

"Huh?"

"Mr. Wright! Maybe Sis left us a clue somewhere! We should head back to her office and see if there's anything the police might have overlooked!"

He gives her a doubtful look. "…Didn't we already try that?"

"Yeah, but at the time, the detective was in the way! This time, let's take a closer look around! There's got to be something we've missed!"

"How are you so sure?"

"Well… I'm not."

"…"

"But, Sis would always say, 'Even when it seems like there's no hope left, if my client is truly innocent, there has to be something I've overlooked.' And right now, I just feel like there is something we've overlooked! …even if it's just a feeling."

He gives it a bit of thought. "…Yeah, you're right. I remember Mia telling me something like that too." He nods, passing her a smile. "Thanks, Maya. The last thing we need now is to give in."

"Yeah, that's the spirit! Besides, we can't leave Ms. Spectra all alone in detention." She then makes a rather sly smirk. "I feel bad for the guard watching her."

"Funny, I thought you were going in a completely different direction with that."

"Come on, let's hurry! The police might already be finished there!" She rushes off first.

He takes a few steps after her when he pauses to think. (…Maybe it's just me, but it feels like what she just said is a little foreboding… Nah, what am I thinking? There's no way she'd dare to break out.) He quickens his pace to catch up.

* * *

><p>September 6<br>Fey & Co. Law Offices

"Yes! I was right! They're finally outta here!"

Whether out of determination or anxiety, Maya seems to be a bit frantic to look for clues. As soon as she steps inside, though, she stops.

"…Um, so where do we begin?"

"Hmm…" Phoenix enters a moment of pondering. "If we're supposed to look for clues the police could have overlooked, then I'd suspect it'd be some subtle detail at this scene… but we can't just turn over everything and hope we find something…"

"Hey, Mr. Wright. Is it me, or are the shelves emptier than usual?"

He snaps out of it. "Huh?"

"Look." She points. "I remember Sis' bookshelves are usually jammed tight with stuff, but now it looks a little loose… Is anything missing?"

"…Hey, now that you mention it, it does seem like it's missing some files." (I guess with Mona last night and the detective this morning, we never really got a chance to pay the shelves any attention.)

"So are they related to our case? That looks like a lot of files to go through…"

"Don't know, but we gotta start somewhere." He takes a deep breath and begins sifting through them, noting where there are gaps. "…What the?"

"What?"

"The entire 'W' section is missing, and I think a few 'D' files are too."

"The 'W' section…? Wait, the name of the guy Ms. Spectra mentioned was…"

"Redd White. If these missing files are any indication, I'd say that man was trying to cover his tracks."

"So! Does this mean we can point him out tomorrow?"

"No, not quite. This lack of evidence alone won't prove anything. We need something a little more concrete."

"Hmph…"

"…Well, I guess we'll have to do a little digging around. How about you check that side and I'll check this one?"

"Um, but I'm not good at reading this stuff…"

"Just give them a quick skim. We're here for clues, not details."

"…But aren't clues usually details?"

"Maya, just cross your fingers and hope it isn't the case this time."

The exhausted pair flip through page after page, both anxious to pull through, but also worried they might have missed something important. Maya goes through her section rather rapidly, though, and her search leads to one file she takes a lot of notice of.

It's barely a whisper: "…Mom…"

"Did you find something?"

"…Huh? Oh um, no. It's nothing!" She stuffs the file back in its place.

"…?"

"And you?"

"Well, I did happen upon some suicide reports… well, a lot of them."

"…Do they even have anything to do with our case?"

"I don't know… but for some reason, on every one of them, it looks like Mia wrote something in the corner… They all say one thing: 'White'."

"White?" She blinks. "Oh! It's the name we're looking for, isn't it!? Can we use this?"

"Maybe. I wouldn't count it as anything damning enough, but it's better than nothing, that's for sure." He files its data away into the digital Court Record.

"…Oh. I was hoping we got the super-important evidence we needed to crack the case."

"I really doubt the killer would be so careless as to let something like that slip, especially if Mona was working this case before us. Knowing her, she'd probably shove the evidence right in the prosecutor's face."

"Yeah, that sure sounds like her…" Maya then drifts to another topic. "Speaking of Ms. Spectra, I still don't really get what she was trying to do last night."

"You mean when she tried framing you? That was pretty terrible, wasn't it?"

"Yeah… but what bothers me more is, why did she want to meet with the real killer by herself? You'd think someone as prepared as her would expect what would happen."

"Yeah, that's been bothering me too. Even though she didn't seem like she was lying to us, I can't help but feel there's something off about the whole thing." He sighs, frowning. "I just hope what she's hiding doesn't make her look any more guilty than she already does…"

"You wanna go back to talk with her about it?"

"We should head back to keep her updated, so we might as well. Let's get going. Visiting hours are almost up."

"Right behind you!"

(…Considering how Mona might react to our darth of evidence, it's probably better to be the one behind the other. *sigh*)

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry for the delays, everyone. I've been caught up in a little bit of this and that, and my story just wasn't going anywhere I felt was suitable. I had to do a little rewriting, but I'm glad it wasn't too bad by the time I got around to catching up. The next part will be up much sooner, I assure you. There's not much else left to investigate until the trial.


	6. Chapter 5

Episode 1: Turnabout Sisters  
>Chapter 5<p>

* * *

><p>September 6<br>Detention Center  
>Visitor's Room<p>

"Where's my stuff?"

That's the very first question she prompts when she returns to meet with them. Phoenix and Maya exchange nervous glances before turning back to her.

"Sorry, but we couldn't get it," Phoenix replies.

She scowls with disappointment, having expected this. "Couldn't? Or is that 'didn't try hard enough'?"

"Hey, we really did try!" Maya retorts.

"What else could we do?" Phoenix adds, "There were tools on that thing that could potentially be used as weapons! Of course the detective wouldn't let us have it."

"No duh, why else would I ask…" and then she catches on, "Oh, wait, you mean the wire dispensers. They're removable."

"Huh? …But the detective told us that was the reason they couldn't return the belt…"

"Well, that much is obvious, but you could have then asked to keep only the belt and not those things, since the rest of the belt is useless in combat!" By the end of this line, she's snarling at him.

(…Well, if you had only told us before, we wouldn't have run into this problem…)

She sighs. "Not that it matters now. But please tell me you've found something else so we aren't sitting ducks in court tomorrow…"

"Um… I wouldn't call it decisive or anything, but there is this." He shows her the digital file of the suicide report.

"…That's it?"

"Th-that's it."

Mona slumps over again, muttering something under her breath.

"But look, in the top-right corner, Mia wrote…"

She looks back up, still sprawled over the counter. "I noticed. Unfortunately, Mia could have been writing about any guy named 'White'."

"Yes, I know, but that's just it. There were plenty of suicide reports left at the office, and every one of them had the same name printed on it."

"That's not enough, you idiot." She swerves away, now much more interested in cleaning her goggles.

He puts it away. "Okay, look. I just said it wasn't anything decisive, but it's all that was left in the office. Since the police are so convinced that you're the perp, thanks to that note YOU made and the witness' account, I doubt they would have been the ones to take them."

"Hmph. Did you even talk with that witness?"

He feels a slight twitch upon recalling it. "…Yes, but she didn't give us anything to work with."

She turns to him with a twerpy grin. "But of course! A pathetic, loveless wimp like you couldn't possibly intrigue any woman beyond a biologist who'd be curious to learn how you managed to survive a lightning strike. How else could your face look so burned, Phugly?"

Those words struck rather deep, and Phoenix has been rendered unable to reply.

Maya proceeds in his place. "So, um… where does that leave us, then?"

Mona replies in an instant, "Caught in a landslide; no escape from reality."

"…I was hoping for a more positive tune."

"Fine. There are three other yet viable options."

"Three? That many?"

"First, you can hope for the best and bluff your way through the trial."

"…That doesn't sound like such a good idea."

"Second, you can accept a guilty verdict and try to appeal it at a later date."

"B-but that's just losing the case! We can't do that!"

"Third, leave the rest to me."

"Huh? Leave it to you? …But you're in detention."

"That doesn't matter. If we don't have the evidence with us, then we find it and bring it to light."

"…Oh! I think I get it. You're saying we try to bring up the recording on your belt, right?"

"Yes, and if I have to retrieve it myself, I will."

"…But defendants aren't allowed to leave court unless they're escorted by guards."

"I don't mean we wait until court begins! That'd take forever!"

"Um, then what do you mean?"

"I mean we take action tonight. Since you two failed to politely ask for it, we have no choice but to use force."

"Wh-what!?"

This time, Phoenix joins in, making exclamations with Maya. He continues, "No way! We can't barge in there ourselves! Then we'd be the ones arrested!"

"Who asked you? I'm going in alone."

"What? No, no, no! You're in detention! If you try to escape, our case is all but doomed!"

"Yeah, but since I'm innocent of murder – and you two will make sure that happens – I can avoid being prosecuted for any attempts at jailbreak that subsequently entail this false arrest."

"Is that true, Mr. Wright?"

"Um… I'm a little fuzzy on the details, but it's true that someone who's been wrongly jailed has the right to demand reparations. But, as for jailbreak…"

"Bah, this is why I'm not a lawyer. Too many procedures." Mona continues, "In any case, let's just pretend we never had this conversation about me making a break for it." She turns to the officer in the back with a smile. "Right, officer? Everything discussed in this room is confidential, and now that I've mentioned it, it's too ridiculous that I'd even attempt a jailbreak!"

The officer keeps a rather doubtful look on her, but says nothing.

(She sure can make some of the boldest comments right in front of a police officer…)

She then turns back to them and whispers, "Not."

(…Mona, please, don't make it harder on all of us.)

She sits straight again, crossing her arms. "Well, in the meantime, you guys just focus on trying to tear down that witness' testimony in court and along the way, indict that scumbag for the stain on humanity that he is. Any questions?"

"…Actually, yes. Maya and I have been bothered by something you said earlier today."

"Gee, I said a lot of things that would bother anyone."

(Glad we can agree on something.) "It's about your visit to that man, Redd White. Since last night, you've claimed that you needed to make a distraction long enough for you to confront him. So, just what did you need to talk with him about, and how did you not manage to escape?"

Her silly grin vanishes in an instant. "You really know how to make me angry, you know that?"

"I gave some serious thought into your explanation, but some things don't add up."

"What now?" she groans.

"First off, ever since we met you last night, you seemed to have a pretty good grasp of what was going on. You knew who was responsible, and you even knew there was going to be a planted witness. You told me yourself."

"Yes, I did. What of it?"

"How could you possibly know something like that?"

"I said so before. At one point, I broke into their offices to retrieve some information."

"So it was then when you learned about the premeditated murder? When was that?"

"About a week ago."

"A week!? You knew about this plan for a whole week and you didn't tell anyone!?"

"Nope!"

"…"

"Under contract terms, I couldn't say anything. In fact, there was only thing thing I was asked to do. Then, after finishing my job, whatever happened then was none of my business – technically speaking."

"What!? So you just ignored everything that would follow!?" Maya exclaims.

"Just what were you…?"

"Hey, let me explain. I didn't tell Mia anything; I showed her a hint, and from there, she figured the rest out."

"A hint?"

"It's too bad I missed out on it by the time I showed up. Otherwise, I wouldn't have minded showing you too."

"Exactly what are you talking about…?"

"If I could tell you, I would have, so there."

Phoenix grumbles to himself. "Then… you're saying Mia actually knew about the murder? But why didn't she just try leaving the office?"

"No, not murder specifically, but she knew something was up. It's why she hurried to pass such important evidence to someone who had nothing to do with our case."

"…And that's where I came in," Maya sighs.

Mona shrugs. "Perhaps if she had known her life was being targeted as well, she could have avoided it altogether… but that's not what happened, and I can't do anything about it."

She must have hit a nerve. Phoenix comes right out with it: "…In the end, it's your fault, isn't it?"

"My fault?"

"If only you had told her what was really going on…"

"Then I would have been violating my client's terms."

Now he slams on the counter, firing off a fierce glare. "Don't you get it!? Since you put your work over her life, Mia's now…!"

"Don't jump to conclusions."

"Huh?"

"It's because I put my relations with Mia before my work that it led to this."

"What are you…?"

"When I first learned of that murder plan, I refused to cooperate. The plan was then reorganized to something simpler – and it was thanks to that very change that I could lend Mia a hand once more. What I didn't anticipate was how I was being used without being aware of it."

"…"

"…Ms. Spectra, sorry to interrupt you, but…"

She turns to Maya now. "What?"

"I just want to ask this, and I won't bother you anymore."

"…"

"If you had the choice to betray who you wanted to, would you have done so?"

"…What a meaningless question."

"Oof… s-sorry."

"I say 'meaningless' because it's impossible to be true. If we all had the choice to betray whomever we wanted, society would cease to exist. People are complex. Not everyone sees the world in black and white, and I ask that you don't do the same."

"…Thanks. I'll be quiet now."

She turns back to Phoenix. "Same with you. Feel free to judge me by my actions however you wish, but don't you ever tell me I don't know what's right or wrong."

"…Yeah, sorry. I overreacted." He shakes his head. "Still, it's hard to believe that you could have prevented it if only you were bound somehow."

"Things in life rarely are so simple. But that's a tale for another time. Don't you two have other things to worry about now?" She waves a finger. "Like… how I mentioned I was working under a contract which forbade me from speaking to Mia about what was going to happen?"

"…!" That clued him in. "You mean… you had another client?"

"Not at the same time, mind you. I never take more than one client at a time."

"But you said you were working for Mia."

"I did… but under normal contract conditions, client confidentiality still applies regardless of what the job is."

"Huh? Then, why did you tell us that?"

"Geez, you still haven't figured it out?"

"…" Then, he gasps. "You mean… she wasn't your client?"

"W-w-what!?" Maya now follows. "But, then why would Ms. Spectra be helping Sis at all!?"

"Why not? Not once in my last contract was it ever stated that I couldn't. I was simply told not to talk about it. It didn't mean I couldn't help her through other means. It's unfortunate things didn't all work out so smoothly, but them's the breaks."

"…In other words, your last client was someone who knew about the murder and didn't want you to talk about it."

She's waves around a finger as she waits on this answer. "And the only one that it could be is…?"

"…Redd White."

"…Th-that man, huh?" Maya sags down again.

"But there's something I still don't get. Why were you so liberal with speaking about him and his company's blackmail operations?"

"He didn't say I couldn't!" She beams as if a proud child.

"…How did you even get away with leaving that out?"

"It's his own negligence. He probably figured it wasn't important, since he planned for me to be arrested anyway, and ha! Who could possibly believe what a murder suspect says?"

"…" He nods a few times, taking it all in. "Thankfully, it works out just fine for us. But that just brings us to the next question… what were you supposed to do that you could manipulate the situation to still help Mia?"

"If I didn't tell Mia when it mattered, I won't tell you."

"Urgh… okay, let me rephrase that. I think it'd have to be some job that forces you to be at the office in time for you to be framed for murder…"

"Yeah?"

"But you couldn't have been sent there to actually kill her, or you wouldn't have refused the original plan at all."

"…"

"Let's see… you mentioned that company had done blackmail before, so… could you have been sent there to place some sort of wiretapping bug?"

"…Is that a question or a claim you're making?"

"Um… I guess it's a claim."

"Okay, then. I'll let that slide. Congrats."

(Whew… we're not even in court yet, and this battle of wits with her is already tiring enough…)

"Then… since she was only there to put a wiretap, she could have done so when Sis was watching, right? Is that how it was?"

"Nope."

"Oh, darn."

"…Or, she could have removed the wiretap when Mia was watching, so that's how she found out."

"Oh! I didn't think of that."

"Well, the fact she got to remove it probably means her contract wasn't detailed enough to say she wasn't supposed to…"

"Ding." Mona's cheers are only becoming more and more lax.

"Well, I guess that clears up a lot… finally." He rubs his head. "And as for the evidence you said you had on him… he had you searched before you could leave, huh? That's why your escape were delayed and you ended up captured."

"Oh, really?" Maya thinks it over. "But what about the accident with the wires?"

"I found that suspicious from the start. You'd think crashing into a wall with nothing but wires suspending you would leave some mark, especially that she'd supposed to have been escaping at high speeds. Besides, for someone known as 'The Flying Vigilante', she'd have to be at least pretty good at using those tools."

"Actually, it's because I'm so good at using those tools that I can avoid being seriously injured even if I crash, but I'll admit it. I didn't hit anything that night. In fact, I didn't bother escaping."

"Huh? You didn't bother?"

"Why not?"

"I was too busy kicking the guards who had me searched, of course."

"…"

(Remind me to never ask what she's keeping on her, then.)

"Not to mention, White also had my belt confiscated. It's how the police even acquired it. Thankfully, no one paid attention to the fact that I had it all recorded… In fact, it was so well hidden that…" and she goes back to glaring at them, "not even you two noticed."

"Hey, we're sorry about that, okay?" (Besides, how were we supposed to know what you meant when you so haphazardly mentioned it? We couldn't tell if you were half-asleep by that time!)

"I'll lend you two one final trick up my sleeve, and from there on out, I'm leaving the rest to you. Don't you dare drop the case for any reason."

"We never had any plans to," Phoenix replies, "But what's this about 'one final trick'?"

"If I told you now, it'd spoil the surprise."

(We're not kids at a birthday party. It shouldn't hurt to tell us… right?)

"No more questions?"

"…None else on the case, anyway."

She nods approvingly and turns around. "Guard! We're done here."

The guard, grateful that he can finally move again, relieves a few stretches and escorts her out. Phoenix and Maya are left alone in the room to ponder over their strategy tomorrow, but one thing has been made particularly clear.

If they want anything from Mona Spectra, they'll have to suffer before they earn it. And Mona herself is especially proud of this fact.


	7. Chapter 6

Episode 1: Turnabout Sisters  
>Chapter 6<p>

* * *

><p>September 7, 9:54 am<br>District Court  
>Defendant's Lobby No. 1<p>

(…Of all the times to be late, it's as if she purposely chose this day to be it…)

Phoenix and Maya wait anxiously for their client to arrive. It's almost time for court to convene, and Mona is nowhere to be found. The bailiffs standing by have no idea either.

Maya appears to be the more anxious of the two and cannot stay still. She paces back and forth impatiently until she's had enough.

"Ugh! Where is she!? This is her own trial! She can't miss something like this!"

"…Even if you complain to me, I can't help it."

"The tension is killing me! I feel like I'm going to burst if we don't start soon! I've gotta show that man a piece of my mind anyhow!"

(Just a piece…?)

"Not to mention, Ms. Spectra mentioned she had one last 'surprise' for us, didn't she? I really want to find out what she meant!"

(…Just like a kid at a birthday party.)

She goes back to pacing around and stops by the window to take a peek below. Apparently, there's some sort of commotion outside, as if the loitering journalists and cameramen have pounced upon yet another tasty scandal.

"…What's going on out there?"

Phoenix casually strolls over. "Probably something to do with another case."

"Hmm… should we go check it out?"

"Not right now. We have a trial to attend, you know."

"Yeah, I know, but since our client hasn't stopped by yet, we still have a little time, don't we?"

"Still, in case she shows up and we're not around…"

"Oh, fine! How about I go and you stay here? I'll come back to tell you what's up!"

"H-hey, wait!"

Maya zips right by him and away before he can say anymore.

* * *

><p>Maya snickers to herself, letting her curiosity lead her to new bounds. As she rushes out for the courthouse main lobby, she gives the passing people barely a glance. If she hurries, she might be able to sneak a peek at who's at the center of this scandal.<p>

Several officers are keeping the reporters at bay while a couple others escort a young woman inside. She's been cuffed and her face veiled, but Maya could tell who it is by the outfit she's weaing.

(…M-Ms. Spectra?)

Mona and the officers are coming her way, but there's something else more troubling. She overhears the reporters outside, giving some rather provoking questions.

"Is it true that there's been a jailbreak!? Where could that woman have gone!?" "Could it be that the ill-rumored 'Flying Vigilante' has finally revealed her true colors!?" "Officers, do you have any information on who or what she was targeting?" "Is this incident in any way related to the recent rise in murder cases?" "How could you police even let a dangerous person like that escape!?"

Maya takes a few steps back, a little overwhelmed by what she's just heard. She hurries back upstairs to meet with Phoenix.

* * *

><p>"W-what!? Are you sure!?"<p>

Maya nods, looking worried. "They had her face covered, but I could tell by her outfit. They were also heading this way."

"Th-that's…" Phoenix drops on the couch, completely taken aback. "Argh! I can't believe her! And I honestly thought she was just messing around yesterday!"

"…I guess she really meant it, huh?" Maya sighs, "Making a jailbreak and all…"

"Now what are we supposed to do!? She's already made herself suspicious enough before, and now…" He scratches his head, grumbling. "…I know we don't have much ground in terms of evidence, but taking matters into her own hands will only make it harder on us."

"And the prosecutor's supposed to be the real deal this time."

"No doubt he's already been caught up with the situation…"

"…Do you think she's got the evidence we need, at least?"

"Um, you're the one who sneaked a peek at her earlier."

"Yeah, but I couldn't see her holding anything, and she wasn't wearing the belt."

"Well, if she was caught, it's only natural they wouldn't return that to her. Oh, man…"

"…In any case, we aren't looking good right now, are we?"

And a third voice interrupts, "…What's this? A pity party?"

They turn to find Mona, unveiled but still cuffed and attended by her escorts. "Ms. Spectra!"

"Geez, and I already said to call me by my first name. You two don't learn very quickly, do you?"

"More importantly…" Phoenix confronts her, "What were you even thinking!? A jailbreak!?"

"Oh? Even you two heard about it?"

"Just now, actually," Maya explains. "Is it true? Did you really make a break for it this morning?"

She smiles proudly. "Yep. I admit it."

"Why are you happy about that!?" Phoenix fumes, "And just right before your trial! Are you trying to make yourself guilty!?"

"Of course not. Why else would I bother breaking out if I could more easily confess to the crime instead?"

"Th-then why…?"

She pulls out a well-folded origami crane and tosses it over to him. "A gift. Thank me later."

"A… paper crane?"

"It's about time, isn't it? Come along." She gives a nod to her escorts and they take her into the courtroom.

Maya gives the crane a careful inspection. "…So what's this about?"

"…" Phoenix begins unfolding it at once, but makes a pained grimace when he opens it.

"What? What's wrong?" Maya takes one look and gasps.

The paper is completely blank; not a single mark on it.

"No way… did she really fail in retrieving anything after all?"

"…If she did, why would she be so glad about it?"

"So she didn't? But there's nothing on here."

"I think… she left us with an extra puzzle to figure out." He folds it up and stuffs it into his pocket. "In any case, it's time. We'd get in there."

Maya nods, but looks a little worried and plenty confused.

* * *

><p>September 7, 10:01 am<br>District Court  
>Courtroom No. 1<p>

The judge's gavel strikes with a loud clack. "This court is now in session for the trial of Ms. Mona Spectra."

"The defense is ready, Your Honor."

"The prosecution is ready as well, Your Honor."

(Edgeworth… I'd better not show any signs of weakness or he'll be on us in an instant.)

"That's Mr. Edgeworth?" Maya frowns. "He looks like a real piece of work… I mean, what's with that frilly thing around his neck?"

"…I don't think that's what we should be concerned about," he replies.

No sooner than they exchanged comments that Mona seizes the moment. She rises from her seat, where she's isolated and detained by bailiffs. Nonetheless, none of the tension in the room seems to affect her chipper attitude. "Your Honor! It's been a while!"

"Hm? Have me met before? Well, now that I think about it, you do seem a bit familiar…"

"Oh, that strings a bit, Your Honor. How could you forget my unique beauty and charm? We met just last year at a certain appeal trial…"

The gallery begins to stir into quiet murmur, but doesn't yet grow much louder.

The elderly judge now catches on. "…Aah! It's you! The rude young lady from that espionage case last year! Why, I had heard you left the country after your acquittal. What brings you back to our courts?"

"I got bored of staking out in the countryside. Figures, I can't help but embrace a life of excitement! Reading mystery novels only get you so far before you want to explore on your own."

(S-staking out…? What has she been up to?)

"Hmm, but it certainly is unfortunate that you would end up in the defendant's chair once again… on charge of a much worse crime, no less!"

"Oh, it's no hassle, really."

"R-really?"

(Really!?)

"I've been mistaken as a shady character so many times before that I've become used to it. In fact, the only reason I'm here is to see what the prosecution has for a case."

A cold, unfeeling voice breaks in, "The only reason you're here, Defendant, is for the court to acknowledge your crime."

She beams as she replies, "Brings back memories, doesn't it, Tufty? Last time, I basically handed you your victory, and now you actually believe you can accuse me of anything! Kids these days…"

(…"Tufty"…?)

Maya hunches over too. "Aren't they the same age? At least, according to their profiles in the Court Record…"

Edgeworth replies, still unaffected, "Nonsense. It's because of your blatant disregard for social order that you're prone to suspicion at all."

"It's not my fault popular will tends to follow up on its own stupidity."

Now the murmur in the gallery has risen to audible levels, and the judge is forced to quell the noise with a few clacks of his own. He shakes his head, commenting, "Hmm… It seems her tongue has yet to soften over this past year."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"In any case, Ms. Spectra, court is now in session, so please settle down."

"Fine. It's not my moment to shine yet, anyway," she answers wistfully, taking her seat once more.

"Mr. Edgeworth, you may proceed with the opening statement."

"Thank you, Your Honor." He proceeds with a rather dramatic retelling: "On September 6 around 9:00 pm, a grievous incident took place at the Fey & Co. Law Offices. Authorities were quick to respond to a witness' report, but when they arrived, the suspect had fled. However, there were several decisive clues left at the scene when she made her getaway, and they all aligned with the witness' account. Approximately an hour later, she was reported to be found hiding in an intel company's offices and was immediately arrested."

"Decisive clues, you say? And a witness as well! This certainly doesn't look good for the defendant."

(…It's all because she just had to forge evidence for no reason other than 'she felt like it'. Ugh, can it get any worse…?)

"Mr. Edgeworth, is this witness the first?"

"No, Your Honor. We will have time later for that witness. First, I'd like to call forth the detective assigned to the case."

That's his cue. Gumshoe rushes down the steps from the gallery seats and strikes a salute once at the stand.

"Witness, state your name and occupation for the record."

"Yes, sir! My name's Dick Gumshoe, and I'm the detective in charge of homicides down at the precinct, sir!"

"Detective Gumshoe. Please describe the scene of the murder for us."

"Yes, sir! Now if I can turn your attention to this floor plan here…" In the next instant, the projectors switch to a 3d blueprint of the crime scene. "The victim was found lying here, by the window. Since the office was found in disarray, we can conclude there was some sort of struggle."

"And the cause of death?"

"Blood loss due to blunt trauma, sir. The victim was struck once with the murder weapon…" And the projectors flash again to show a model of the weapon in question. "This miniature statue of 'The Thinker' here."

The judge nods. "The court accepts this and the floor plans into the evidence." To which, the projectors vanish out of sight with a short chime.

"Now, Detective. You arrested the suspect when she returned to the scene upon consideration of those clues, correct?"

"Yes, sir! We had hard evidence on her. There's no doubt about it!"

The judge nods. "In that case, please testify about this 'hard evidence', Detective."

"Yes, Your Honor… sir!" He clears his throat and begins his report. "It was shortly after 9:00 pm that night when we received a report of a murder, and we immediately rushed to the scene. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, the culprit was gone. The only ones left were the lawyer, Phoenix Wright, and the victim's little sister, Maya Fey. However, neither of them could have been our suspect. The witness had seen the moment of the crime and described the perpetrator as a young woman with a ponytail. There's no question; the defendant definitely matches that description!"

The judge takes a moment to absorb the testimony. "I see. So it's based on the witness' account." He nods. "Mr. Wright?"

"Yes, Your Honor?"

"You may proceed with your cross-examination."

"Yes, Your Honor." (…That said, cross-examine what? There weren't any direct contradictions.)

Maya has misgivings. "That testimony seemed pretty shaky, though. Who just believes something some random person says?"

"…That is true. Should we press him for more info?"

"That's what Sis would always do. Let's go for it!"

Phoenix takes a deep breath to prepare himself. He turns back to the witness and gives him an intense stare that's already enough to shake him. "Detective, you just said you had 'hard evidence' on the defendant, so you arrested her."

"Oh, d-did I say that?"

"I heard you say it!"

The judge agrees, "You did say it."

Edgeworth follows suit, "You said it."

Now Phoenix slams on his desk and points his finger with vigor. "Just what about that suspicious woman in pink's claim makes it 'hard evidence'!?"

"W-what!? Ms. May ain't suspicious, pal, and she sure isn't pink either!" He pauses, rubbing his head. "Uh, well, I guess she is pink, not that there's anything wrong with…"

"Not to mention, 'a young woman with a ponytail' tells us nothing! It could have been anyone!"

"H-hey, that's just what she said, pal…"

The judge shakes his head disapprovingly. "Detective, do you have anything else other than this witness' claims?"

"Um…"

Phoenix sets his hands against his hips, pumping his ego. (Hah! No wonder Mona's so easygoing. At this pace, the good detective's just going to mop up everything for us!)

"Yes, we do."

(Oh, oops… I spoke too soon.)

"Sorry, Your Honor! I just got a little mixed up with the testimonies. There's something I should have mentioned first!"

The judge shakes his head, rather disappointed. "Very well, Detective, please testify again… and this time, don't leave anything out!"

And here comes the next part: "When we arrived on scene after hearing the report, we examined the area for clues. Beside the victim's body, I found a note written in blood with the defendant's name on it! Upon testing, we confirmed that it was the victim's. There's no other explanation! The victim wrote this note just before she passed, identifying her attacker!"

The gallery is roused once more, and the judge's gavel quells the noise once more.

Gumshoe makes one last jab at the defense. "How do ya like that, pal? There's my 'hard evidence'!"

"…Before we proceed with the cross-examination, I have one thing to say to the witness."

"Y-Yes, Your Honor?"

"Why didn't you testify about this crucial information the first time!?"

"Oof!" He rubs his head, embarrassed. "I didn't mean anything by it, sir. It just kinda slipped my mind…"

"Please be more careful in the future!" Now he turns to the defense. "Please excuse the delay. Mr. Wright, you may proceed."

"Yes, Your Honor." Phoenix appears to be deep in thought.

"…What's up, Phoenix?" Maya asks.

"Something about this testimony doesn't quite fit with the facts…"

"Yeah, I mean, wasn't the note they found a different one?"

"Actually, let's save that bit for later. It could be useful. Besides, there's something more urgent to address."

"Like… a contradiction? Then, let's get to it!"

(The problem is, why would there be one at all? It's not like Edgeworth to overlook any details…)

"Hey, what are you stalling for?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it." And he's back toward the witness. "Detective Dick Gumshoe."

"W-what's with the full name treatment, pal?"

"Are you honestly claiming that it's the victim who wrote this note?"

"Of course, pal! Who else could it be?"

"You have it backwards, Detective."

"Huh?"

He throws out his pointing finger again with as much vigor. "The victim is the only one who could NOT have written it!"

"What!? But it's the victim's blood…"

"May I bring this report to the court's attention?" He draws up the sample data from the autopsy report onto the projected displays. "This is the autopsy report that you handed to me personally, Detective. And right here," as he points it out, "it says the following. 'Death was immediate following the blow.' She died immediately!"

"W-what the!?"

"Why are you the one who's surprised!?"

"Hold it right there, Mr. Wright," comes the cool, collected voice of the prosecutor. "Exactly when did you receive that report?"

"Huh? Um… it was the day after the murder. Why?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Edgeworth waves a finger, sneering back. "I'm sorry, Mr. Wright, but that report is outdated."

"W-what!?"

"Your Honor, by my personal request, a second autopsy was performed." He draws up the data on display. "Here is the revised version for your perusal. 'Death was almost immediate, but the victim may have lived for a few minutes.' I received these results just this morning."

The judge nods. "Hmm, I see. This certainly does clear up a few questions."

Phoenix is stunned, and he keeps his glare on the prosecutor. "Mr. Edgeworth… I've heard many ill rumors about you, forging evidence and witness testimony. Just what reason could you have had to request a second autopsy!?"

"M-Mr. Wright! Please refrain from personal attacks!"

"Hmph. It matters not, Your Honor. Such is the nature of unsubstantiated rumors. No matter what the defense may say, this report is legitimate. I ask that you enter it into the record."

"Very well. The court accepts this into the evidence." And with that, the displays flash out.

(Damn you, Edgeworth… you led me into that trap, and I fell right into it! It looks like I have no choice but to play dirty after all…)

"Well, Your Honor, I believe we have a fairly firm grasp on the events that transpired last night."

"So it seems."

"Without further ado, I'd like to call my next witness. With this next testimony, there should be no room for doubt left regarding the defendant's guilt."

The judge nods. "Well then… Thank you, Detective Gumshoe. You may step down."

Gumshoe gives a salute, but just before he takes leave, there's someone who still disagrees.

"Hold it!" And all eyes fall to the defense bench.

"What is it, Phoenix? Do you have something else we can use?"

"I think it's time to pull out our trump card now."

"Trump card…? Oh, you mean that, huh?"

"Mr. Wright, what is the matter? What are you two whispering about over there?" the judge asks, frowning.

"Sorry, Your Honor, but there's one more thing I need to ask the detective."

"What now, pal? We got everything cleared up already."

"Everything except one, that is." He draws up the Court Record onto the displays again, this time presenting the other note filed into it. "Detective, do you recognize this?"

It certainly catches Edgeworth's eye, but he doesn't seem to have anything to say… for now.

"Now, just a moment, Mr. Wright!"

"Yes, Your Honor?"

"Just what is this note? All it says is 'Maya' in red letters… Say, isn't that the name of that young lady beside you!?"

"That's right, Your Honor!" she replies instead.

"W-what is the meaning of this!? This couldn't be a note that the victim wrote, could it!?"

"Of course not, Your Honor! Sis wouldn't ever try to accuse me of something like this!"

"Huh? It isn't? Then what IS this note about?"

"Mr. Wright, if you have something to say, then come out with it," Edgeworth demands, his patience reaching its limits.

Phoenix takes the reins from Maya. "Your Honor, this note, written in blood, was found at the scene of the crime. And yet, Detective Gumshoe had failed to bring it up in his testimony."

"Detective, is this true?"

"Um… Y-yeah, there was something like that at the scene…"

The gallery is roused yet again, and three solid clacks clear the rabble.

"Then why haven't you brought this to attention? Did you really forget to include something again!?"

"N-no, Your Honor, it's not like that! Honest! I didn't bring it up because it wasn't important, sir!"

"Not important!? But it was found at the scene of the crime, wasn't it?"

Now Edgeworth steps in. "Your Honor, allow me to explain."

"Mr. Edgeworth, you knew about this?"

"Yes, I was notified of it. But please understand that I had no intention of hiding anything. That very note was merely a prank set up by someone."

"A prank?"

"By the defendant, no less. We ran a blood test on this note as well, and the results revealed that she was the donor."

"Defendant! What is the meaning of this?"

Mona simply shrugs. "…I have no idea, Your Honor."

"E-excuse me?"

"I admit I came up with it, but why in the world would I use my own blood when I could very well have used the victim's?"

"Um… are you asking me?"

"I'm asking the defense. Mr. Wright…" She slams on the fence enclosing her. "If you have something to present, then present it already! What's with the circling air of mystery behind some random piece of paper you threw out? Do you know how to do your job!?"

(…Geez, at least give me a moment to bask in the spotlight.) "The defendant brings up a very important question. If she was trying to frame Ms. Fey here, she could have used the victim's blood to make it seem more realistic. I even caught her in the act of making it. All in all, it doesn't seem like it makes any sense."

"…To be fair, this woman rarely does make sense whenever she stands in court," Edgeworth comments begrudgingly, as if recalling several undesired memories.

"Even then, she still made it. I can't say I understand her true intentions at the time, but one thing is made clear. She didn't use the victim's blood. Or rather, she couldn't."

"Couldn't, Mr. Wright?" the judge asks, now genuinely curious.

"When she forged this note, the victim's blood had dried. I can confirm that it was just past 9:00 pm at the time. Therefore!" He lashes out with a point. "It's likely the murder was committed much earlier!"

The gallery is at it yet again, and they're shortly silenced.

"M-much earlier!? But that stands in direct contradiction to the prosecution's claim that the murder was committed around 9:00!"

"Y-yeah, pal! That doesn't make any sense! The witness who reported it said the murder happened just before we arrived!"

"Well, that's just it. Perhaps this witness of yours didn't catch it until then… Or, perhaps she didn't want to report it until then."

"Objection! Mr. Wright, I suggest you keep your baseless conjecture to yourself! It could very well have been an honest mistake!"

"Objection! Sorry, but that won't work! Remember that this witness claimed she saw 'the moment of the crime'. Why would she then wait for so long that the victim's blood could have a chance to dry!?"

"…"

Phoenix could see the hand he set on the table twitch ever so slightly, and he beams with confidence. "Well, Mr. Edgeworth, you were saying you wanted to call up this witness, right? Well, I have no objections at all… but I think we all can agree that her story doesn't quite check out."

"Mr. Edgeworth, I must agree with the defense on this. This witness' account may not be as reliable as you had previously assumed. In any case, we will be requiring her testimony, so you may proceed."

"…Hmph. So be it." He folds his arms, resuming his lofty manner. "But I assure you, Your Honor, I have taken all the necessary steps toward this investigation. And I still stand by the claim that it was indeed nothing more than an honest mistake."

(W-what? He's still holding out?)

"Even after a blow like that, he's still as cocky as ever! Talk about resilient, huh?" Maya adds.

"…Now I'm starting to wonder if he didn't anticipate this from the start."

"Um… so what does that mean for us?"

(I don't know, and honestly, I don't want to know… but I still have to and will know soon enough. *sigh*)

"The prosecution's next witness is the poor, innocent girl who was unfortunate enough to see the crime as it happened."

(…'Poor, innocent girl'? Just how is that woman 'innocent' or a 'girl' in any way…?)

Phoenix and Maya wait anxiously as the bubbly woman dressed in bright pink makes her way from the lobby to the witness stand…

* * *

><p>AN: This is the first chapter where I've decided to extend beyond my 7-8 page limit on each chapter. It's also not worth cutting up before this point anyway, I'd think. So, how am I doing so far, guys? Let me know with some reviews!

12/17/14 Edit: Whoops. I almost forgot a very important segment in the beginning. There we go.


	8. Chapter 7

Episode 1: Turnabout Sisters  
>Chapter 7<p>

* * *

><p>September 7<br>District Court  
>Courtroom No. 1<p>

"Witness, please state your name and occupation."

"April May, at your service~!" The woman in pink answers with a wink.

It seems quite a portion of the gallery audience is roused to attention, to which the judge must answer once more. "Order! Order! The witness' introduction should not incite a reaction from the audience!" He gives her a stern frown. "Furthermore, the witness will refrain from wanton winking!"

She makes a puppy-eyed pout. "Aw… I'm sowwy. I'll be a good girl."

Phoenix sinks again. (Just like that, she's captured the heart of just about every man in this courtroom…)

Maya follows suit. "Must be common with her…"

"And my job? Well, it's what people call an 'assistant' or 'secretary'! I talk with people a lot, basically! Tee hee!"

"A secretary?"

(Hmm… so White basically leaves all the inconvenient jobs to her, huh…)

"Ms. May," the judge proceeds, "It has come to the court's attention that there is a grave inconsistency regarding your testimony during questioning. In particular, we would like to know what time it was when you saw the crime take place."

"Oh, that… Ok, I know I haven't been right on the dot, but I can explain it all away, okay?" She finishes with a charming smile.

"Please do. You may proceed."

She begins her retelling, acting dramatically as if on stage. "Let's see… So I was staying in my hotel room that night when I peeked out the window. It was when this program I was watching was on, and it always starts around 9:00 pm, I think. When I did look out, oh, it was horrible! I saw two women arguing, and the pony-tailed one grabbed something off the desk. When the long-haired woman saw that, she tried getting away, but it was too late! The pony-tailed one caught up to her, and… Ooh! She hit her hard! And then, that long-haired woman… she kinda just slumped, and didn't get back up again…" She then reverts back to her bubbly personality. "And that's all I saw!"

"Thank you, Witness, that will be all." Edgeworth turns to the judge. "Well, Your Honor?"

"Hmm… so it was because you were watching a television program that you knew the time?"

"Yep!"

"Well, I don't see any problems here…"

"Wait, Your Honor!" Phoenix jumps in, "Please keep in mind that it's likely the crime actually took place earlier! And yet, this witness still insists that the time was after 9:00 pm!"

Edgeworth wags his index finger. "Just a moment, Mr. Wright. The witness has stated that she based the time off of a program."

"And what about it?"

"We've already looked into that particular program's allotted schedule, and while it's true it does usually air at 9:00 pm, on that day, it was a special episode that filled a slot of two hours. In preparation for it, the broadcasting company arranged for their program to begin earlier, as to not disturb the timing of the programs that followed."

"…H-huh?"

"Therefore!" He slams on his table and points for dramatic effect. "It's possible the witness had merely confused the time, based on her knowledge of its regular schedule. Would this not then be an 'honest mistake' that she reported the wrong time to the police?"

"W-w-what!?" Phoenix feels like he's been smacked hard on the head and his eyes go white.

"…Hmm. I will have to agree with you, Mr. Edgeworth. It's likely this witness simply didn't realize her error."

"I'm sowwy I caused so much trouble. Please forgive me?" she pleads with those puppy eyes again.

He nods. "Of course. You are not at fault here."

"Aww, thanks a lot~!" And she winks again.

(…Uuuuuugh…) He clasps his head from the induced headache.

"H-hey! Phoenix, get it together! We're not done yet, right!?"

"…Then what are we still missing?" he groans.

"Your cross-examination, of course," the judge replies instead. "Are you going to proceed or not? Although, to be honest, this testimony does seem just about perfect…"

"…Yes, Your Honor. I'll proceed with the cross-examination."

"Phoenix? You got something yet?"

"I think so, even if it's just a hunch…" It's back on the witness again. "Witness, by 'pony-tailed woman', are you referring to my client?"

"Well, yeah! Who else in here has a ponytail hairstyle?"

"…Well, while no one else in here does, but there are lots of women who tie up their hair like that."

"Ha! And what would you know about how women style their hair? You don't look like you even know how you do it!"

(…Right back at you. What are you supposed to look like, a mushroom?)

"Besides, I'm sure it was the defendant! She also had that special utility belt she always wears."

"Utility belt?" the judge inquires.

"The defendant is frequently seen wearing a silver-tinted metallic belt. It has several tools attached to it as well, and among them is a pair of retractable hooked wire dispensers. She frequently used them to coast through the skies."

"Ah! I remember now! I've seen her flying through the skies at times, almost like a bird! Hmm, so it was because of wires, was it?" He chuckles to himself. "And here I thought she had rocket-propelled boots!"

(How can you mistake wires for rockets, Your Honor…?)

"Mr. Edgeworth, I'd like to confirm. Is that belt easily distributed among the public?"

"Of course not, Your Honor. Not only is the belt itself crafted from a flexible metal, it holds a set of tools she personally customized for herself and makes her especially easy to identify."

"See? Told ya!" Miss May almost seems to blossom with pride.

(…Urk. And according to Mona herself, she's never seen without it.)

"There's no way around it, huh? It has to be her," Maya groans.

(…But before then, there's still something more egregious I need to press for.) He turns back to the witness. "Witness, about that program you watched…"

She holds her usual defiant demeanor. "What about it?"

"…What show is it?"

Suddenly, she flinches, and her face contorts just slightly. "H-huh?"

And coming to her rescue, the knight in shining red intercepts them. "Objection! What interests the witness has are completely irrelevant! I've already explained the change in time schedule anyhow. There is nothing further to ask here!"

"Objection sustained. Mr. Wright, please move on with your next question."

(…He jumped in quick there. Is there some weakness around the program's schedule or something…?) Setting that aside for now, he moves on. "Then… I'd like you to describe the object you saw my client 'pick up'."

"It was pretty big and pretty hard, that's for sure."

"Any details? For example, what it was?"

"Well… it looked like a bronze statue of 'The Thinker', but much smaller, just enough to hold it in her hand."

"…And?"

"And what?"

"You know, any other details…?"

"Objection!" Edgeworth cuts them off again, "Your Honor, the witness has already answered, and defense is merely repeating its question."

"Sustained. Mr. Wright, don't you have anything else to ask?"

(…Argh, not again. He keeps cutting me off! How am I supposed to keep going like this?)

"Maybe through some sort of loophole?" Maya suggests.

"…Loophole?"

"…J-just throwing it out there."

(Um… thanks for the support, but I have no idea where this 'loophole' could be.)

"…Mr. Wright, do you have any more questions?" Even the judge has become somewhat impatient.

"Um…" (Do I? I don't know! What else is there to poke at!?)

Maya passes a wary glance up to the judge and back to him. "But if you don't say anything now, it'll be too late! The judge looks ready to announce his verdict…!"

As Phoenix looks to have nothing to add, the judge looks a bit disappointed. "…It seems the defense has no other questions, so the witness may step down. Thank you for your time, Ms. May."

"Oh, it's over? Well, about time!" She happily bounces off and away.

Phoenix is leaning over his table, his hands twitching from frustration. (…Just what am I missing!? I can't figure it out…)

"Mr. Edgeworth, are there any more witnesses to hear?"

"None, Your Honor. I believe her testimony should be sufficient."

He nods approvingly. "Very well, I am ready to announce my verdict."

(W-what!?)

"And none too soon, indeed." Edgeworth sneers at his opponent, who retains his vexed expression.

"Defendant… or rather, Ms. Spectra," the judge now addresses, "Do you have any final words before we proceed?"

Mona sits up for the first time during this trial, passing a disappointed glance toward the defense bench. She returns to the judge and replies in a relaxed voice, "Quite a few, actually."

"Oh, you do?"

"First off, I'd like to declare that my defense is just about worthless, but they were onto something for a moment there."

(…Huh?)

"Second, I'd like to confirm something with the last witness."

Miss May is nearly out the doors when she's forced to stop. "Hah… these pathetic losers just don't know when to quit." She turns around with a straightforward frown. "What now?"

"What is the name of the program you were watching?"

"H-huh?" She flinches again.

"Objection! The defense had previously asked the same question. What difference would it make if you ask it now?"

"All the difference. I question her credibility."

"And once again, the name of the program has no relevance-"

"In that case, it shouldn't hurt for her to answer, right, Your Honor?"

The judge shakes his head. "I don't know where you're going with this, Defendant, but if you insist…"

"…!" Edgeworth grits his teeth, as if preparing himself for the oncoming assault.

"Ms. May, could you please answer this one last question?"

"…" Oddly enough, Miss May seems to have become speechless herself.

(…? It's an easy enough question. What's taking her?)

"I… I don't have to answer that, do I, Mr. Prosecutor?"

"…Normally, no, but His Honor has just requested that you do."

"…"

And now it hits Phoenix. (…That's it. That's the key to breaking through these walls!) He slams on his table for added intensity. "Your Honor!"

He's rather startled and looks around wildly. "W-what? Who was that!?"

"It was me, Your Honor!"

"Mr. Wright? But the cross-examination is finished…"

"Yes, but I just have one more question! Please, let me ask it and I won't ask again!"

"…What is this farce?" Now Edgeworth's hit the limit of his patience. "The cross-examination is over! And yet you still plead without end? What kind of a lawyer are you!?"

"Now, now, Mr. Edgeworth. Mr. Wright, before I allow this question to be asked, I must first ask you what it concerns. If I decide it is not relevant, then you must stand down."

"…Thank you, Your Honor. It's as the defendant requests. Without confirming her alibi during the crime, her testimony cannot be accepted!"

"W-what!?" Miss May exclaims.

"What else is there to ask…" Edgeworth grumbles.

The judge sighs, but nods. "Alright, Mr. Wright, but only this once. Witness, please answer the question."

She seems to be struggling with something. "W-well, it's… um… I think it was… 'The Late Show with Dave Mailer'? Something like that. Now can I go home?"

However, there's an eerie silence that takes a hold of the room. Edgeworth in particular recoils in distress.

She now recoils, pretending as if ready to weep. "…W-what? What's with this complete shock on people's faces?"

Mona snickers quietly to herself. "They're so disappointed in you. And to think some of them felt like asking you out later. Then again, they would have found out about your lack of brains anyway…"

She fires off a glare. "…What was that, you annoying brat?"

She ignores her. "Mr. Edgeworth, what time does that show air again?"

"…11:00 pm to midnight."

"Urp!" Miss May hiccups, only now realizing her grave mistake.

Mona points a hand toward the defense bench. "Mr. Wright, you can take it from here." And she slumps back in her seat, smiling with satisfaction.

"…Huh? Oh, uh, right…" He unleashes his finger-pointing prowess. "Your Honor, as the defendant says, this witness' account is flawed from the start! If she had truly seen the murder take place, it doesn't explain why she would wait for so long to report it! Likewise, if she hadn't seen it at all, she wouldn't have known such details like what the murder weapon was like! Everything about her is suspicious!"

"Eep!"

The judge blinks, eyes wide. "…Well, there's no arguing with that." He gives Miss May a stern stare. "Well, Witness? What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I… um… urk!"

Phoenix beams. (Hah! That wasn't too bad at all! Even if Mona had to step in and all…)

"…W-wait. Why am I getting the evil eye here? I mean, it was just a teensy mistake…"

"Yeah, right! You know a lot more than you make it out to be! In fact, there's no way you couldn't have known there would be a murder that night!"

"M-Mr. Wright! What is the meaning of this!?"

"Y-Your Honor?"

"Are you seriously claiming that this witness knew there would be a murder!?"

"Um…" (Well, it just kinda came out on its own…)

"I have to doubt that as well!" Edgeworth adds, "What sort of basis do you have for accusing the witness of being involved in this crime?"

"Ah, about that…" (In actuality, I don't have anything that can prove she's involved…)

"But, Phoenix! Ms. Spectra told us all that yesterday!"

"Yeah, but that's confidential info and we can't use what she said. She's the defendant. The judge won't accept just anything from her."

"Hmm… but then how do we tie this woman into the crime?"

"Hmm…"

"…Hmph! Looks like you're out of luck, Mr. Lawyer. You can't prove I have anything to do with this!"

He slumps over. "…Urk."

"Besides, why would I be a part of anything so terrible? I'm just a secretary for some company!"

Then, a lightbulb flickers on in his head. "…Speaking of which, you didn't mention what company you worked for."

Edgeworth slams down on his side. "What are you starting now? Where the witness works has no bearing on this case!"

"Yeah! I mean, it's like you're trying to find out so much about me… Are you still trying to ask me out or something?"

And cue the uproar from the men in the gallery. "What!? That jerk! Who does he think he is!?" "He's been aiming for her all this time!" "What a slimebag! And in the middle of his job too!"

(…How did things ever come to this again…?)

"Aw, don't be so disappointed when I reject you again."

"…Witness, please get back on topic and answer my question."

"Did you even hear me, Wright?" the huffy prosecutor repeats, "The witness' occupation does not matter in this case!"

"Oh, but it does. And if she's not going to answer, then I will."

"W-what?"

"Y-you're bluffing! How would you know so much about me? You're not some crazed stalker, are you?"

"Ms. May, I have other more useful resources. And I can say with confidence that you're the personal secretary to one Mr. Redd White of Bluecorp."

"Urp!"

Edgeworth has been stopped silent, though he keeps a vigilant glare on his opponent.

"M-Mr. Redd White of Bluecorp…?" The judge looks as if he's been struck dumb, which may not be an exaggeration.

"Bluecorp is an intel exchange company that buys and sells information. However, the CEO of this company has also been involved in several blackmailing incidents."

"B-blackmail!?"

"Your Honor," and Phoenix draws up the filed suicide report that Mona had previously rejected, "I have here an article describing the suicide of a certain politician."

"Huh? What's this supposed to mean?"

"It seems this particular politician had become entangled in a certain matter that drove him to his death, and it's likely Mr. White had something to do with it."

"And how would you know that?"

"Take a look at the corner of the page, Your Honor. See what's written?"

"Hmm…" The old man leans forward for a closer look at the projection. "…It says, 'White'?" He blinks once. "White? As in, Mr. Redd White?" He blinks twice.

"This handwriting is unmistakably the victim's, Mia Fey's. I work as her understudy, so I can confirm it myself. Suspecting that Mr. White had been dealing in blackmail, she compiled a list of suicide cases of some famous names that likely had become his victims."

"Oh, my!"

"…And?" The prosecutor seems to have collected his thoughts.

"And? It's only natural, then, that this man has a motive in this murder!"

"…Heh heh heh."

(Uh-oh. When Edgeworth laughs, it's never a good sign…)

"Mr. Wright, I applaud you for the entertaining intermission, but we really must be getting back on track."

"Intermission? Everything I've said so far is especially important to this case!"

"Not in the least. You say this man that goes by the name of 'Redd White' is likely the murderer, but all you have is an example of the victim's delusions."

"W-what?"

"Mia Fey was no doubt an impressive attorney in her own right, but at times, she was prone to deluding herself with absurd theories and unsubstantiated bluffs."

"Edgeworth, you… Your Honor! That's slander toward the deceased!"

"Mr. Edgeworth. Please choose your words more carefully next time."

"Yes, Your Honor, please excuse me. What I intended to say is this: What would it matter if she had written 'White' on these reports? She could have meant any other person with the same name."

"…"

"Not to mention, even if she did mean Mr. Redd White in particular, these reports prove nothing toward his involvement in this crime."

"…"

"And most importantly of all…" He slams his hand down. "They prove nothing toward this witness' involvement either! She may have been working for that man, but again, she's merely a secretary. She might not even be aware of such ill-reputed rumors about her employer."

"…Y-yeah!" Miss May seems to have recovered as well. "I had no idea, and I bet they're all wrong! People just like saying things that sound exciting, like in a scandal or whatever! It's just so sad…"

"In any case, Mr. Wright, you've done nothing but lead us toward a dead end without a goal!"

"…Ugh."

"Your Honor, this trial has been prolonged long enough. I advise you ignore the defense's stalling tactics and proceed with the verdict at once!"

"Hmm…" The judge gives it a moment to consider.

(…Is this it? Is this as far as I can go? But it doesn't feel right. None of this does…)

"…Phoenix! Are you just going to stay quiet like this!?"

(But what other options do I have? I couldn't even find one contradiction in this lady's testimony… Argh! What am I missing!?)

"Ph-Phoenix! The judge is lifting his hammer! Quick, say something! Anything will do!"

Unfortunately, Phoenix has nothing to say. As Maya keeps shaking him, trying to snap him back to his senses, everything else seems to fade into the background as his mind begins to drift. He barely notices the judge bringing down the gavel, and nothing else seems to come to him anymore.

"Hold it!"

He snaps back to attention and finds everyone else is staring at the defendant. Mona has stood up, legs apart, with her hands set in front of her. She looks like she's ready to fight. And in that moment of silence, she takes a deep breath to focus.

The next moment, there are several sharp cracks. One look at her hands would tell all: they look like they've been twisted into odd positions, and it would be painful to any normal person. However, she maintains her calm and grace as she slips her hands right out of the handcuffs. They fall to the ground with a loud clank, and her hands give a few more snapping sounds, as if her joints have been returned to their original places.

Needless to say, it puts the entire courtroom in a state of stunned, fearful awe. She pays her onlookers' aghast faces no heed and promptly hops out of her little cage. She walks right up to Phoenix, grabs him by the lapel, glares at him in the eye, and punches him in the face.

"Ph-Phoenix!"

Edgeworth snaps to attention as well. "…Bailiffs! What are you doing!? Seize her!"

"Oh, would you all relax?" Mona replies flatly, halting the bailiffs on their way toward her. "I was just smacking him to his senses." She turns back to Phoenix, who has gained a bulging cheek and a single tear in his eye. "This isn't the time to faint, you pathetic excuse. Why did I bother breaking out of prison this morning if you're not going to use that thing?"

He blinks. "What thing?"

"Wait… do you mean this blank paper?" Maya holds up the specimen.

"It's not blank. It's written in invisible ink."

"I-invisible ink?"

"And if you light up a flame below it, it'll reveal itself." She releases Phoenix, who readjusts his lapel. "Maybe you two should take a look at it, so you'll at least have a little more backbone. I'm done here."

And with that, she hops right back into her seat, twirling the handcuffs she dropped around a finger. One of the bailiffs promptly snatches it away, unlocks it, and locks it back around her wrists.

Phoenix takes another moment to stare at the paper, and he looks around the room. "Excuse me, but does anyone have a lighter I can borrow?"

The other bailiff shrugs and approaches him with one from his pocket. Phoenix hands him the paper, and he flicks the lighter on, giving the paper a quick heating from below. Soon enough, the ink gradually appears on the page.

"Y-Your Honor, sir!" the bailiff salutes, "It appears there's something on this paper!"

"Well, hand it over here!"

"Of course, sir!" He rushes up to the bench to deliver it.

The judge gives it a careful read. It appears to be a list of names with associated dates and locations, and each entry has one of two last names: White or May. He looks up from the paper and down to the defendant, who apparently bears a cocky smirk. "Ms. Spectra, what exactly is this?"

"My notes."

"Your… notes?"

"You see, Your Honor, I've been tailing the staff at Bluecorp Inc. for about a month now and have come upon some incredible pieces of information. It seems that in their attempts at blackmail, they left quite a few witnesses. Most of these people are relatives or friends of the recipients of such blackmail, and they all want their voices to be heard. I've personally checked with them, and I notice a few of them have actually made it to court today." She stands straight and takes a blow. "From the bottom of my heart, I thank them."

(W-what…?)

She resumes her casual bowlegged stance. "For your reference, ladies and gentlemen, I located this page from a trash can in the CEO's office at Bluecorp. I couldn't possibly have created it on the spot, or it wouldn't have dried so quickly. Besides, the officers who arrested me this morning can attest to my location."

"W-what…?" Edgeworth has been reduced to his less glorified position again.

The judge has to blink several times before it all registers. "…W-wait a moment, please! So, are you saying these names here, 'White' and 'May', refer to the CEO of Bluecorp and this very witness!?"

"Naturally."

The entire gallery is aroused into noise, and for once, the judge can't settle them. Miss May, who is still standing by the doors, twitches so much that she looks as if ready to collapse. Then suddenly, she stops wavering, growls under her breath, and unleashes a vicious scream that shuts up everyone else. In that instant, her entire deposition changes for the demonizing.

"You… YOU SPYING DOG! Who do you think you are, running around without a care in the world!? We aren't just some random people you can peek in on as you feel like!"

Mona stares at her with an unamused look.

"B-besides! You're the real idiot for letting that loose! Mr. White… He won't let you go free like this! If, if he has to go down, then you will too! He's just that powerful!"

Mona maintains that look.

"Y-you know what I'm talking about! You worked for him before too! H-he'll release that info to the public, and… and…!"

"…"

The judge interrupts them, "Excuse me, Ms. Spectra, but what is this person talking about?"

Mona shrugs. "I have no idea, Your Honor. It all sounds so pathetic that I'm not even registering these sounds of anguish into words."

"W-what!?"

"After all, she hasn't presented any evidence to back up her claims. I only know so much of Redd White because I've been spying on him."

"Y-yooouuu…!" Miss May looks like she's just about to snap, again.

"Of course, if you don't want this list to be published to the media after this trial, I suggest you turn yourself in and save yourself the trouble of facing your boss again. As for him, he'll be dragged in here himself soon enough, and he will have no choice but to confess to the crime."

Miss May has no other retort. She's absolutely seething with anger, nonetheless.

"N-now, hold on there, Ms. Spectra!" the judge stammers.

"Yes, Your Honor?"

"I can understand that this evidence does make these two rather suspicious… but I don't quite understand why Mr. White would confess to this crime! This is a murder trial, after all!"

"There are several possible explanations, but I suspect a man like him would do anything to keep his reputation untarnished of blackmail, especially if it would lead back to his past…"

"R-really?"

She shrugs. "I'm just winging it here."

"…"

"In fact, you could say all I've done up to this point is stir up more trouble in court again." She bursts out laughing to herself.

An empty silence fills the courtroom again, accompanied by stoic faces all around.

"Ah, well. I wanted to offer up a piece of evidence to support the defense's claim that Mia Fey was onto something big, but I just remembered. This would be illegal evidence, wouldn't it? It's not approved by the police department, and it may or may not be relevant to the actual case on hand! Hahaha! Well, that's too bad."

Edgeworth looks as if one of his nerves is almost going to pop.

So does Phoenix. (…I can't stand this woman anymore…)

"So, if you don't mind, I'll just withdraw it, Your Honor. But of course, I hope you won't just forget this little discussion we had, okay?"

"…Um. Okay."

"Thanks!" Mona stretches, feeling rather refreshed, and sits back down. She promptly shuts her eyes and dozes off.

* * *

><p>Everything hinged on that point. From there, it was merely a matter of time when her predictions would come true. The prosecution lacked decisive evidence against the defendant, and even with that bloody note, the chances that the note was forged were unexpectedly high. Needless to say, with the possibility of another suspect being brought up, the court could not come to a verdict this day.<p>

However, the very next morning, the other suspect of the trial turned himself in – surprising, even considering the threat Mona aimed at him. Perhaps it was as she suspected; that the man's past was more important to hide than his present. Regardless of the reason, he confessed in that trial, his secretary was charged as his accomplice, and Mona was free to go.

And the first place she stops at? The Wright & Co. Law Offices. There's still one last thing left to do, after all.

* * *

><p>AN: Okay, I'm sorry I lied... or rather, not tell the whole truth. This is not the last chapter, but it is the last full chapter. The next one is the epilogue. I will be glad to finish this episode once and for all! And please, when I finish, I would like some honest reviews on it as a whole. I'd like to learn something from them and use the knowledge to improve on episodes in the near future.


	9. Epilogue

Episode 1: Turnabout Sisters  
>Epilogue<p>

* * *

><p>September 8, 12:14 pm<br>Wright & Co. Law Offices

"Let's see… subtracting the charge for this case and the amount I bribed the guards with, it comes to… $43,950."

"W-wait a second. What are you talking about?"

It's only natural that the first thing the lawyer and client discuss upon returning to the offices is regarding the lawsuit fees, but it's just as natural that the mood soon takes a turn for the sour.

"What else? I'm not accepting any less than $50k for this job."

"What job? I'm the one who got you out!"

"No, I got myself out. You just stood there and tried to look smart, but somehow managed to fail even that."

Phoenix returns her a look of disbelief mixed with disgust and frustration.

"What's with the 50 at the end?" Maya asks.

"That $50 for lunch today. My treat."

"Really!? Wow, thanks!" She pauses to calculate the total and continues, "Oh, but that's only 10 bowls of ramen in all, and I usually take at least that much for myself…"

"Eating too much is unhealthy. Save two of them for us."

"Aw… can't you add just another $10 to that?"

"Never mind that," Phoenix cuts in again, "Where did you even get that figure? And with how much did you bribe those guards!?"

"$500 for each of the guards on duty and $1k for the warden, for a total of $3k of donations to the detention center. I then added another $3k for you and $50 for lunch. I say it's rather generous."

"Th… three K?"

"I really thought it over, and even considered not paying you at all, but since you're Mia's student, I have you give you some credit somehow. Then I got lazy and went with the same total as the bribe money. Same difference, really."

"…"

"Don't give me that look. Just be grateful I'm even paying you, you stubborn donkey."

(Look who's talking, you stubborn cow.)

Maya cuts in, passing them both eager glances. "So… are we done? Everything's settled, right? About time, I'm starved! Come on, guys! Food!"

Phoenix changes the subject once again, though. "…Before we go off frolicking, I still have quite a few questions for you, Mona."

She responds with sticking a tongue out at him. "I'm not in detention anymore, so I have no obligation to answer you."

"All the same, I'd still like to ask. That memo you presented at the trial yesterday…"

"What about it?"

"Was that the secret weapon you were talking about since the night of the murder?"

"Yeah. It was a list of witness testimonies to help with Mia's case against him – that is, the one she had planned before she was taken out. I had the info gathered long before I stopped by this place that night."

"Okay, so… because you wrote it in invisible ink, he didn't notice what was written? And that was why you broke out to fetch it?"

"Yeah."

"But… by the time you returned to court, you already had it folded up in a crane."

"Yeah."

"…I'm just wondering how you could have been so lax to fold origami using such crucial evidence, even though the police were on your tail. Not to mention, wouldn't Redd White, who happened to be the real killer, try to stop you from digging around in his office? You had every reason to panic, but you showed up so relaxed…"

"Yeah."

"…Um, I just find that odd."

"Me too," Maya agrees, "If it were me, I'd have been freaking out all the way."

"Well, that goes to show how unsuited you two are for my job."

The three of them now meet with a moment of awkward silence.

"I'm surprised you two have yet to ask why I supposedly spent an hour to return to the crime scene."

"Huh? But didn't you say before that you were arrested at White's place? I figured the police were trying to cover their tracks by avoiding bringing up where you actually were found."

"Yes and no. They did arrest me at Bluecorp, but I broke free."

Both Phoenix and Maya share the same look. "Huh?"

"Since the two of you were already taken in for questioning, we wouldn't have met again that night. You see, I spent that hour making the police run around in circles. I was actually trying to break in back into White's office, but the police kept getting in my way. Eventually, I gave in and headed back for Mia's office, like a last chance at redemption, but couldn't find anything else to use for this case. I instead waited for them to catch up and finally turned myself in."

"…"

"But wait, it gets better! That night, I made a bet with the detention center warden. I told him I could sneak in another theft before the trial started yesterday, and he accepted the challenge. Hence, I fled as soon as they opened my cell door the next morning, with the rest of them in hot pursuit, and they chased me all the way to Bluecorp. I then accepted arrest and they dragged me back to court. Since I won the bet – and even offered to pay them for their troubles – they let me go without charging me for the jailbreak."

"…"

"Man, what an amazing night and morning, back to back. No wonder Mia would want to hire me, eh? Hahahaha!"

Phoenix and Maya exchange worried looks as Mona laughs away hers.

"…Phoenix, how did she manage to get away with all that?"

"…I've come to think that no matter what anyone does, she'll just find some way to sneak away from punishment."

"And on that thought, I still have a certain job to finish here, so I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

"Huh? What job?"

"She originally hired me for help on a particular case, but over time, I basically became her personal spy."

"So… what case was it?" Maya leans in, making that curious face.

"Meh, it's not important now."

She pouts, "Oh, come on!"

"In any case, now that the office is yours, Wright, I suppose I have no choice but to serve you now. Bah, what a pain…"

"Huh? My office?"

"No, duh! Sis even told me about it! Someone's gotta make sure these Wright & Co. Law Offices don't go to rack and ruin!"

"Sis… I mean, Mia told you about it? When?"

"Well, she kinda just left me a note. Let's see…" She digs around in her pockets for a sheet of paper. "Here we go! Here."

He gives it a read. "'Maya, if you're reading this, it probably means I won't be around to see you. But don't let that get you down! No matter what happens, just remember that we're always connected in our hearts. And take care of Phoenix for me, will you? He does tend to get himself into a lot of trouble, but I can't think of a better person to take charge of these offices. Alright, if all goes well, maybe I'll be seeing you again sometime. Until then, stay strong and work hard on your training.' …What's this supposed to be?"

"I don't really know. I just know it was in my pocket for a while."

"'If all goes well…' All goes well…?"

"Maybe Sis knew what would happen that night, and she wrote this in advance?"

"No, I don't think so. This makes it seem like she was waiting to meet you again later."

"Well, that's what confused me too…"

And Mona now speaks up, "That's because she was planning to go into hiding that night."

They turn to her with blank stares. "Hiding?"

"The two of us planned it all out already. This way, both the evidence and the lawyer in charge of it would disappear under the cover of darkness. We could have waited it out until the upcoming trial, where we would land the finishing blow. I suggested she write that note just in case things do go wrong, but figured if White didn't know when she would meet with us, he would have to change his plans. Unfortunately, I underestimated him, and so Mia couldn't make it out in time. Life sucks sometimes."

There's a moment of silent awe in the room.

"…After Maya cried herself to sleep, I searched out that note and slipped it into her pocket. It wasn't of any use by then, but I thought it'd at least make her feel better when she got the opportunity to read it."

"…So, it was you." Maya nods, smiling. "Thanks, Mona."

Mona gives her a wide stare. "You called me by my first name."

"Yep. I can, can't I? After all, you've just been looking out for me the whole time. It's only fair that we get along. Right, Nick?"

Phoenix now copies Mona's look. "N-Nick?"

"Sis told me that's what your friend Larry always calls you. I think it suits you!"

He rubs his head, but reluctantly smiles back. "Yeah, I guess it does."

"Yep, simple and boring, just like you," Mona adds with a sneer. "Who the hell calls their kid 'Phoenix' anyhow? My guess? They were either at the peak of ecstasy – and I mean 'ecstasy' – or at the pit of despair at the sight of a baby with a deformed head. How else can that hair stay up like that if it wasn't shaped to your head?"

He fires back a glare.

Maya snickers. "Youch. That's the worst you've come up with for him so far!"

She follows suit. "Even I'm getting the creeps thinking about it. What if I'm actually right?"

"Eww… I can't unsee it!"

"…Both of you, stop that. My head is not deformed, and my name is just how it is. Leave them alone already. The joke's getting old."

"Hey, Maya, let's drown away that nightmare with some piping hot bowls of ramen. I said they're my treat anyway."

"You betcha! 10 bowls, here we come!" Maya races out the door.

"8 bowls, and the other two for us! I'm not paying for any more!" Mona calls, tailing after her.

Phoenix shakes his head as he watches them rush away. He takes one more look at the note in his hand, sets it down at his desk, and calmly strolls out into the daylight.

* * *

><p>My name is Mona Spectra. I'm a freelance mercenary, but sorry to say, I'm on leave at the moment. You see, things have changed a bit. I'm not as free as I used to be, now that I have a couple of kids to babysit. Maybe it's my renewed sense of responsibility or maybe my dedication to my assigned missions, or maybe something else entirely. Whatever it is doesn't matter. I've simply come to enjoy a little company, and these two are pretty entertaining.<p>

But to those who are awaiting me in court once more and to the one who is still waiting for me in detention, I can assure you that I'm not going anywhere. This is but a brief respite.

Episode 1, End.

* * *

><p>AN: Aaaand, that's a wrap! Phew, I stewed over how to make this ending lighthearted, yet still suitable as an explanation for some odds and ends I left from previous chapters. Somehow, I think it turned out really corny, but well, you make do with what you've done, right? That's one of my rules.

As I mentioned before, I'll have more episodes published later, since I can't quite leave it as "Episode 1" and not make a sequel. In fact, I'm gunning for some cases in later games as well, so I dunno how much of some cases that I'll touch on, especially those that we fans like to call "filler cases". Nonetheless, it was a fun ride for me from start to finish, and I expect some feedback this time! No slouching, okay, guys?


End file.
